Privacy Policy.

1. Introduction

House Hold Maryland, Inc. ("House Hold Maryland," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of the homeowners, donors, partners, and visitors who interact with our organization. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our services.

By using our website or services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Submit a housing counseling intake form
• Register for a workshop or event
• Submit a partner or host inquiry
• Make a donation
• Contact us through our general contact form
• Subscribe to email updates

This information may include your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, property address, financial information relevant to your housing situation, household demographics, and any other information you choose to provide.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information including your IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs. This information is used solely to improve our website and services.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide housing counseling, advocacy, and case management services
• Contact you regarding your service request or inquiry
• Process donations and send tax receipts
• Send workshop confirmations, reminders, and follow-up materials
• Fulfill grant reporting requirements to funders (in aggregate, de-identified form)
• Improve our programs and services
• Send organizational updates and newsletters, if you have opted in
• Comply with legal obligations

We will never use your information to market unrelated products or services, and we will never sell your personal information.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to any third party.

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With your explicit consent — for example, to refer your case to a legal aid partner or housing agency at your request
• With service providers who assist in our operations (such as our CRM platform, email provider, or payment processor), under strict confidentiality agreements
• For grant reporting — funders may require aggregate demographic data; this is always de-identified and never includes personal details
• As required by law — if we are legally obligated to disclose information pursuant to a court order, subpoena, or government request

Housing counseling clients should be aware that certain HUD-approved counseling programs have specific data sharing requirements. Your counselor will inform you of any applicable requirements at the start of your engagement.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our website uses SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmission. Our CRM platform uses industry-standard security protocols.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your information, subject to legal and operational requirements
• Opt out of non-essential communications at any time
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

7. Cookies & Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze site traffic. We use analytics tools to understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.

We do not use cookies to track you across other websites or for advertising purposes.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

House Hold Maryland, Inc.
5000 Thayer Center, STE C
Oakland, MD 21550
[email protected]