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housing rehabilitation programs to churches, civic groups, lunch plus clubs, and others. Finally, Community Development Staff make contact with the local realtors' association to offer technical assistance. There has been no discernable result to these activities. Cabarrus County has had no complaints or feedback other than people acknowledging that they were unaware of the fair housing program and resources available if they feel they have been discriminated against once they learn of these resources. No one claimed to have experienced anything that they felt could have been discrimination at a previous time upon being informed of the laws. The City of Concord and the City of Kannapolis have their own Fair Housing Programs that provide education, enforcement, and other resources in their jurisdiction and from time to time the jurisdictions work together on activities or joint events to expand fair housing knowledge in the community. D. Private Fair Housing Programs Private fair housing programs include: Prosperity Unlimited and Habitat for Humanity are nonprofit housing providers that include Fair Housing information to all persons attending their homeownership classes. The Central Carolina Board of Realtors has a Voluntary Marketing Plan which promotes fair housing privately. This is a voluntary agreement to promote fair housing and housing choice in the community by the realtors who are members of this board. Eleven local lenders have a Satisfactory rating with the Community Reinvestment Act indicating positive fair housing initiatives. These are all of the private Fair Housing programs that Cabarrus County staff is aware o£ VII. Conclusions and Recommendations: A. Current Lending Products and Packages. Prosperity Unlimited, the CHDO in Cabarrus County, identified new lending products as an impediment to home ownership. New mortgage products require higher credit scores and larger amounts of down payment funds. This combination may be having the effect of disqualifying low to moderate income families from home loans. Additionally, recent changes in HUD programs that decrease up front mortgage insurance costs and increase the monthly costs for mortgage insurance are also eliminating clients from eligibility for home loans. Additionally, mortgage modifications are not being processed quickly enough to save homes. Lenders are taking so long to move through the required steps that the mortgage becomes unsalvageable. Finally, rising housing values in the study area are pricing low to moderate 331Page Analysis of Impediments September 2015 Attachment number 2 \n F -6 Page 125