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Reverse mortgages in West Covina: counseling, Cortez Park senior help and taxes
Quick answer
West Covina homeowners can get free legal and social-services help at the city's Cortez Park Community & Senior Center, and independent reverse mortgage counseling from HUD-listed agencies in Orange, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, mostly by phone or video. West Covina is in Los Angeles County. You may have heard that reverse mortgages are very expensive. My answer is that they don't have to be, but the costs are real, and I'll put every one of them in front of you.
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A HECM, the federally insured reverse mortgage, is FHA-insured. New American Funding is not acting for HUD, FHA or any government agency.
Key points
- Cortez Park Senior Center offers free help. Its Legal Assurance Program and Senior Citizens' Assistance Program may be able to help with legal questions; call to ask what they cover.
- Counseling is required and independent. HUD lists three agencies within about 30 miles. I don't choose or pay yours.
- Your contract in your language. If a reverse mortgage is negotiated mainly in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean, California requires a translated contract.
- The costs are real. Upfront and yearly mortgage insurance, fees and interest are added to the balance, which grows over time.
- Property Tax Postponement and a reverse mortgage usually don't mix.
Want to know what this means for your home? Get your personal estimate from Tom →
West Covina senior resources
- Cortez Park Community & Senior Center, 2501 E. Cortez St., (626) 331-5366, call for current hours
- Legal Assurance Program: attorneys give seniors free legal guidance. Call to ask whether they can help with a trust, power of attorney or loan papers.
- Senior Citizens' Assistance Program (S.C.A.P.): free social services, including help with Social Security and Medicare and referrals for home care and transportation. The center also offers case management and information and referral. Call the center for an appointment.
- AARP Tax-Aide: volunteers answer seniors' tax questions from February through April.
- Lunch: a senior meal Monday through Thursday, with a suggested donation for people 60 and older. Tickets go first come, first served.
Counseling near West Covina
HUD's counselor data, read Nov. 3, 2026, lists three agencies within about 30 miles of West Covina that offer reverse mortgage counseling. None has a Los Angeles County address. Distances are straight-line and approximate. I'm not recommending any of them.
| City | Agency | About | Phone | What HUD lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | NeighborWorks Orange County | 19 miles | 714-409-3444 | In person, group, phone; English, Spanish, Vietnamese |
| Ontario | Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board | 20 miles | 800-321-0911 | In person, group, online, phone, video; English, Spanish |
| Rancho Cucamonga | Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services | 22 miles | 909-988-5979 | In person, phone, video; English, Spanish |
Here's what I'd ask each agency: whether a HECM counselor is available, what it costs, which languages it offers, and whether family can join by phone. HUD's line, (800) 569-4287, can help you find counselors farther away who speak your language. See counseling near Diamond Bar.
Languages and your contract
California Civil Code 1632 says that if a reverse mortgage is negotiated mainly in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese or Korean, the business must give each borrower a translation before signing. If you have questions about the papers, ask the Cortez Park legal program whether it can help. See protecting a parent.
Questions about your own situation?
Talk with Tom Jarboe. He's been helping families with home loans since 1986. You'll get plain answers, and he'll tell you if a reverse mortgage isn't the right fit.
LA County offices and help lines
West Covina is in LA County: call the Assessor at (213) 974-3211 about home values and exemptions, or the Treasurer and Tax Collector at (213) 974-2111 about your tax bill (the county's shared toll-free property tax line is (888) 807-2111).
If you suspect abuse of an older adult, call the county hotline at 1-877-477-3646, any time, or 911 in an emergency (anyone may report); to find services, call 1-800-510-2020 (a statewide number that connects you to your county's aging office). More help lines are in protecting a parent.
Homes and costs in West Covina
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts the median value of owner-occupied homes in West Covina at about $779,800 (2020 to 2024 estimates, as owners reported them), and about 60% of homes are owner-occupied. That isn't your home's value, and it isn't what you'd get.
Here's what a HECM costs: an upfront mortgage insurance premium, a yearly mortgage insurance charge, an origination fee, third-party closing costs, a servicing fee if charged, and interest. Most of these are added to the loan, so the balance grows over time.
There's no required monthly mortgage payment, but property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues and upkeep stay yours. For when the loan comes due, see how a reverse mortgage works in California. Private (proprietary) loans set their own costs and rules. See what it costs.
Property Tax Postponement
If you're weighing the State Controller's Property Tax Postponement for your West Covina home, know this before you choose: a reverse mortgage makes any postponed taxes due. See Property Tax Postponement or a reverse mortgage?.
Do and don't
My advice: get it in writing.
Do
- Do get every cost in writing and compare at least two offers.
- Do ask the senior center's free legal program whether it can look over papers before you sign.
- Do ask for your contract in your language if you talked about the loan in it.
Don’t
- Don't sign or pay because someone says you must hurry.
- Don't skip California's 7-day wait after counseling before a final application or fee.
- Don't let anyone require you to buy an annuity or other product with the loan, or pitch you a reverse mortgage to pay a contractor on the spot.
Rather talk it over than read? Call Tom, no pressure: (909) 869-6588 →
A made-up example to show how it works. Your situation will be different.
Example: Yolanda checks the costs
Yolanda, 70, is widowed and retired in her West Covina home. A neighbor said reverse mortgages "eat up your house," so she asked a lender for every cost in writing.
She asked the senior center's free legal program to help her understand the papers and did her required counseling by phone, with her son on the line. She learned the balance would grow and that her taxes and insurance stay hers. She's still comparing, and she hasn't signed anything.
Questions families ask
Is there a reverse mortgage counselor near West Covina?
HUD lists three agencies within about 30 miles, in Orange, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga. All counsel by phone, and two by video, so you don't have to drive.
Can the West Covina senior center help me understand a reverse mortgage?
The Cortez Park center's Legal Assurance Program offers free attorney help with legal concerns, and S.C.A.P. offers free referrals and help with forms. They aren't reverse mortgage counselors, so you'll still need HUD-approved counseling before you can apply for a HECM.
Are reverse mortgages expensive?
They don't have to be, but the costs are real. They can cost more than other loans up front, mostly because of FHA mortgage insurance, and interest adds up over time. Compare offers line by line, and compare other choices too; see alternatives.
If the loan is explained to me in Tagalog or Vietnamese, do I get a translated contract?
Yes. Under California Civil Code 1632, a reverse mortgage negotiated primarily in Tagalog, Vietnamese, Spanish, Chinese or Korean needs a full translation before you sign.
How do I check a reverse mortgage loan officer?
Look up the license on NMLS Consumer Access. I'm Tom Jarboe, NMLS #210600, in Diamond Bar.
Your next step
Talk with me first. I'll answer your questions, go over your options and every cost, and tell you plainly if a reverse mortgage isn't the right fit. Call (909) 869-6588 or email [email protected], or read about me. There's no pressure. My office is in Diamond Bar, a short drive from West Covina.
Before you can apply for a HECM, you'll meet with an independent HUD-approved counselor. It's required, and I'll give you a list of agencies. In California there's also a 7-day wait after counseling before a final application or any fees. Find one on HUD's site or call (800) 569-4287.
If you suspect someone is taking advantage of a parent, call the county hotline at 1-877-477-3646.
Sources (read November 3, 2026)13 sources · show all
- City of West Covina, Cortez Park Community & Senior Center: https://westcovina.gov/440/Cortez-Park-Community-Senior-Center
- HUD Housing Counselor data, 30 miles from West Covina, agencies listing reverse mortgage counseling (code RMC): https://data.hud.gov/Housing_Counselor/searchByLocation?Lat=34.0686&Long=-117.939&Distance=30
- HUD, find a housing counselor: https://answers.hud.gov/housingcounseling/s/?language=en_US
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-year, tables B25077 and B25003, West Covina city: https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDT5Y2024.B25077?g=160XX00US0684200
- California Civil Code 1632: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=1632
- LA County property tax contact information: https://www.propertytax.lacounty.gov/Home/ContactUs/0
- LA County Aging & Disabilities, how to report abuse: https://ad.lacounty.gov/services/how-to-report/
- LA County Aging & Disabilities, contact: https://ad.lacounty.gov/contact-us
- eCFR, 24 CFR Part 206 (HECM rules, mortgage insurance and costs): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-B/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-206
- California Government Code 16190: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=16190
- State Controller, Property Tax Postponement: https://www.sco.ca.gov/ardtax_prop_tax_postponement.html
- California Civil Code, Chapter 8, Reverse Mortgages (7-day wait, 1923.2(k)): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&division=3.&title=4.&part=4.&chapter=8.&article=
- FTC, "Reverse Mortgages": https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/reverse-mortgages
Free
Reverse Mortgages in California: A Family Guide
I put the key rules from this site into one printable guide for your family: how it works, set-asides, what happens when a parent dies, and the questions to ask. Instant download after you enter your email. No phone number needed.
Tom Jarboe, Regional Sales Manager, New American Funding, NMLS #210600, Diamond Bar.
As a loan officer, I want you to be able to check everything. That's why I give you honest answers on both sides, cite the official rules, and make sure you meet an independent HUD-approved counselor before you apply. My goal is that you make an honest, educated decision. More about me.