Atlanta Congressmen Join Forces with HUD and Treasury to Prevent Home Foreclosures
Atlanta, GA – July 26, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressmen John Lewis, David Scott, and Hank Johnson are proud to announce their upcoming event to assist Atlanta area homeowners who may be struggling with their mortgages. The three members are joining forces with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, The Hope Now Alliance and NeighborWorks America for the “Help for Homeowners” project scheduled for Friday, July 30th 1:00PM to 7:30PM and Saturday, July 31st from 8:30AM to 3:00PM, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan will also be in attendance on Saturday, July 31st.
“Like the rest of the country, our constituents are hurting. We have high unemployment leading to a high number of foreclosures,” stated Congressman John Lewis. “Something must be done to help our residents and it is my hope that our event will allow people to keep their homes,” added Congressman Lewis. Metropolitan Atlanta is experiencing a foreclosure boom with the number of failed mortgages more than doubling in recent years. The rate of foreclosures has been steadily rising with the area having a foreclosure rate of 3.18 percent which is slightly higher than the national average of 3.15 percent. Foreclosures not only impact the homeowners and the lenders but also impose significant costs on municipal governments and neighboring homeowners.
“High foreclosure rates have plague us for years, tearing at the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities,” said Congressman Johnson, who has been fighting foreclosures since he was a county commissioner in 2001.
“I’m encouraged that we’ll have mortgage lenders on hand to begin the process of helping homeowners, who no fault of their own, have fallen behind on their mortgages,” he said.
“One of the steps needed to improve the regional economy is to stabilize the foreclosure rate,” Congressman Scott said. “Metro Atlanta is one of the worst areas in the country for mortgage problems. Even folks with good jobs are anxious about their homes. As a member of the Financial Services Committee, I have fought to stop predatory lending and extend mortgage relief. Hopefully, this event will help thousands of Georgians find some stability in their finances.”
Nearly 20 of the area’s top lenders will be available at the “Help for Homeowners” event. These lenders have agreed to meet one-on-one with area residents who have mortgages with their companies and make a conscientious effort to help them stay in their homes. Lenders who have confirmed their attendance are:
•· Bank of America/Countrywide American Home Mortgage Services
•· Citi Aurora Loan Services
•· Chase LBPS
•· Wells/Wachovia GMAC
•· Suntrust HSBC
•· U.S. Bank Litton
•· State Home Mortgage Ocwen
•· PNC Bank OneWest (IndyMac)
•· Saxon Mortgage Select Portfolio Servicing
Also on hand will be HUD-approved counselors who will help homeowners avoid mortgage modification scams and discuss whether they qualify for the Obama Administration’s “Making Home Affordable” program.
Interested homeowners should bring the following documents to be considered for assistance:
•· Monthly mortgage statement;
•· Information about other mortgages on the home, if applicable;
•· Two most recent pay stubs, documentation of income you receive from other sources or most recent quarterly profit and lost statement if you are self-employed;
•· Two most recent bank statements;
•· Account balances and monthly payments for credit cards and other debts;
•· Estimates of other monthly expenditures (utilities, insurance, medical bills).
The request for Modification and Affidavit Form and the IRS Form 4506T-EZ will be available on site.
The forms may also be downloaded from the website MakingHomeAffordable.gov.
http://www.makinghomeaffordable.com/docs/100405%20-%20mha%20atlanta%20bilingual%20flyer_v2.pdf
