GROWTH is a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency with certified professionals dedicated to helping Illinois residents make informed decisions based on their financial situations and housing needs.

Our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors work one-on-one with clients to develop personalized action plans. These plans help identify goals, outline next steps, and establish realistic timelines. Through a comprehensive assessment of each individual’s circumstances, our counselors recommend tailored solutions designed to support long-term success. All services are client-specific and strictly confidential.

Getting Started is Easy
We offer flexible communication options to meet your needs, including phone consultations, video conferencing, and in-person appointments following current health and safety guidelines. No matter your situation, we are here to support you every step of the way.
Connect with us to learn how we can help you grow with GROWTH.
As an Equal Opportunity Provider, our services are free for Illinois residents of all ages and income levels.
Services Include:
  • Financial Literacy & Education
  • Credit Education & Understanding
  • Homeownership and Rental Preparation
  • Homebuyer Education
  • Personalized Goal Setting
  • Budgeting & Money Management
  • Post-Purchase Education
  • Foreclosure Prevention Counseling

Introduction

This video highlights GROWTH’s financial literacy and housing counseling services. These services are provided at no cost to Illinois residents of all ages and income levels. 

Overview

GROWTH has been a HUD-approved Housing Counseling agency to further its mission to ensure all individuals  have equal access to safe, fair, and affordable housing. ​This video shows how GROWTH and its housing counselors address topics relevant to clients needs. GROWTH has HUD-Certified Housing Counselors on staff who are able to provide individualized financial literacy and housing counseling that can assist them in their individual circumstances. Our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors are trained and certified on a regular basis. In all cases, individuals are provided information on fair housing rights and guidance on your fair housing related concerns.

Understanding Your Credit

What factors impact your credit score? Why is it important, and why should you pay attention to it? At GROWTH, we’re here to help you understand your credit and take steps to improve it. This video explains the importance of credit and breaks down the five key factors that make up your credit score. With the right knowledge and guidance, you can take control of your credit and work toward a stronger financial future.​

HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency- What is it?

GROWTH is a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency providing guidance on homebuying, financial literacy, and credit-related challenges. This video begins by explaining what it means to be a HUD-approved agency and how GROWTH supports individuals and families in achieving their housing goals. With HUD-certified Housing Counselors on staff, we offer a wide range of programs and services designed to meet your housing needs.
Post Purchase Education
You’ve bought your home, now what? GROWTH offers Post Purchase education that is designed to help you understand what happens after you move into your home. Learn about financial planning for your new home’s expenses, expected maintenance costs, tax benefits, and how we can help if financial hardship happens unexpectedly. ​​
Budgeting
Everyone needs a budget. Creating and sticking to a budget is the single best thing you can do to create a brighter financial future. Reward yourself by putting money away each month by saving for larger purchases will help reinforce your long term savings goal and will give you an added bonus of personal financial achievement. GROWTH is here to help you step-by-step set up a budget that works for you and your goals.
Goal Setting
We all have goals but do you have a concrete plan to achieve them? This video walks through the basic steps to set the goals in which you wish to achieve both in the short-term and the long-term. In order to turn your financial goals into a reality, you need a plan. Housing and financial issues are critical to the wellbeing of a family, yet they seem to get more and more complicated. Whether your goal is to buy your dream house, or to save the home you have, our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors are here to help you create an individualized client action plan that will help us discern your housing goals, and the obstacles that may be impeding you to achieve that housing goal, and ways we recommend to overcome such obstacles.
Foreclosure Prevention
Are you struggling to make mortgage payments or facing foreclosure? GROWTH wants you to know we are to here to help.  As a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling agency, GROWTH is here to provide options to help save your home, and we will help you through those options, for free. We understand that facing foreclosure is very personal. People are very vulnerable and think they have no control over what happens once they get that notice letter from the lender. We know many people may experience shame and never want to reach out in fear of being judged. We know that people would rather ignore, rather than answer, their lenders contact attempts. GROWTH provides foreclosure prevention counseling using empathy as its first measure to help people who are living in extreme fear for their future and their housing situation. With that knowledge, GROWTH is here to truly help you--- judgement free—to get you in a better place. 
Contact Economic Growth Corporation today to schedule time with one of our HUD-Certified Housing Counselors.
Services are provided for free or Illinois residents. ​Call (309) 788-6311 or [email protected] today.
371 3rd Street W.
Milan, Illinois 61264
309-794-6711
​[email protected]
Economic Growth Corporation and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Providers.

Fair Housing/ Equal Opportunity Statements:
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. ​​In accordance with federal law and the U.S. Department of the Treasury policy, Central States Development Partners, Inc. is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.  

Conflict of Interest Statement:
Economic Growth Corporation and its affiliates (collectively, GROWTH) require staff and members of the Board of Directors to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations pertaining to GROWTH’s activities, to conduct themselves ethically and with integrity; and to avoid any conflict between their own interests and the interests of GROWTH.