Foreclosures

LANSING, MI - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Mike Cox today announced the filing of three criminal complaints and a total of 10 charges against illegal advanced fee "foreclosure rescue" operations accused of defrauding Michigan families of thousands of dollars.

Washington, DC - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, (MD-07) today wrote Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to encourage him to work with Treasury Secretary Geithner during the upcoming White House economic summit, to find new ways to deal with the staggering number of foreclosures in America.

AUGUSTA, ME - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Janet Mills today joined the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice and the attorneys general of twenty-six other states in a national crackdown against foreclosure rescue and mortgage modification operations. These companies prey on consumers who are desperate to save their homes from foreclosure.

Jefferson City, MO - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Chris Koster said today he is suing a Florida company that took money from distressed Missouri homeowners without providing any meaningful mortgage-modification service. Koster joined the Federal Trade Commission and the state of Iowa in taking legal action against the company

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 25, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today commended Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum for his proactive efforts to combat mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams in Florida. Yesterday, the FTC unveiled “Operation Stolen Hope,” a national sweep targeting these types of scams, and announced the filing of just over 100 state and federal legal actions throughout the country. These filings are in addition to the continuing efforts by Attorney General McCollum's office, which has filed 17 civil actions in the past year with more expected in the coming months.

CHICAGO, IL - November 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Today, the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Board of Directors approved allocating a $1.4 million federal grant to fund free foreclosure counseling help for homeowners throughout Illinois

COLUMBUS, OH - November 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Record breaking foreclosure filings and delinquency rates in Ohio were reported today by the Mortgage Bankers Association, confirming assertions by foreclosure reform advocates that the housing crisis is deepening, and prompting calls for the Ohio Senate to begin hearings on reform legislation.

November 18, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Foreclosure Diversion Program is opening up a limited number of spaces in its loan modification tools training for Foreclosure Diversion Program mediators, attorneys affiliated with Maine Attorneys Saving Homes, and Maine State Housing Authority staff, to interested attorneys. The December 2, 2009, training to be held at the Augusta Civic Center will be focused on various loan modification programs and the FDIC’s mod-in-a-box tool that will be used in the program. The training will start at 9 A.M. and end at 4 P.M. The Foreclosure Diversion Program will seek CLE credit approval for this training. The training will cost $50, which must be received before December 2, 2009. The fee is non-refundable

Albany, NY - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Judiciary Committee Chair Helene Weinstein, Banks Committee Chair Darryl Towns and Housing Committee Chair Vito Lopez today announced the passage of a measure that strengthens current foreclosure law to protect homeowners and tenants

Albany, NY - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Governor David A. Paterson and Legislative Leaders today announced passage of the Governor’s Program Bill No. 46, which provides additional critical protections for New York State homeowners, tenants and neighborhoods in the wake of the ongoing foreclosure crisis.

LOS ANGELES, CA - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced two foreclosure counseling clinics in South Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley this Saturday, November 14, 2009. The free clinics are designed to educate the public about the foreclosure process, distribute information about foreclosure prevention, and present residents with options to modify loans and keep their homes.

LANSING, MI - November 16, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Mike Cox today announced the sentencing of two west Michigan loan officers convicted of operating a widespread mortgage fraud ring, duping members of the Grand Rapids Hispanic community into purchasing distressed properties at inflated prices, falsifying records and pocketing thousands of dollars. The targeted buyers often spoke or wrote little English and had a limited understanding of the mortgage process.

CLEVELAND, OH - November 13, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representative Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) will host a free foreclosure prevention clinic at the Cleveland Heights Community Center on November 17th. The clinic is the second in a series and will connect residents with housing counselors to discuss ways to prevent mortgage delinquency.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office has filed a lawsuit against two Central Florida companies and their owner over allegations they charged up-front fees for foreclosure rescue-related services. National Payment Modification Company and The Bostonian Group, LLC, which conducts business under the name People’s First, allegedly charge up to $2,500 in up-front fees to homeowners trying to rescue their homes from foreclosure.

Salt Lake City, UT - November 4, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- In tough financial times it seems plenty of companies are claiming they can save Utah homeowners from foreclosure.

TALLAHASSEE, FL - November 2, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida Housing was recently awarded $1,805,370 to support foreclosure prevention counseling efforts in the State of Florida. The much-needed boost will bolster efforts to provide additional foreclosure counseling to area homeowners in danger of foreclosure.“Needless to say, we are very pleased to have been awarded these funds from NeighborWorks® America to expand and build upon the efforts to help those facing foreclosure in our state,” said Steve Auger, Florida Housing’s executive director. “Through the continued partnership with our sub-grantees, we will work diligently to assist as many homeowners as possible.”

NEW YORK, NY - October 30, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB) announces the completion of rehabilitation and permanent financing of 20-units of affordable housing that will soon become a low-income cooperative.

Los Angeles, CA - October 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Concerned about a "new wave" of foreclosures, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today called on ten major banks and loan servicers to detail their plans to assist homeowners facing dramatic monthly payment increases on Pay Option Adjustable Rate Mortgages.

October 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Bank of America Corporation today announced a first-of-its-kind in the nation initiative to prevent tenants from being displaced out of foreclosed homes. The initiative marks the latest expansion in the City’s on-going efforts to meet all of the challenges presented by the foreclosure crisis

Palm Desert, CA - October 29, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- MERIT Property Management, a leading provider of professional community association and rental management services, is hosting a complimentary evening of ‘Tastings & Trends’ on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 for Coachella Valley homeowners, association board members, vendors and media. The evening will feature wine tasting and hors d’ oeuvres from 5:30 pm-7 pm followed by presentations covering trends in homeowners associations, delinquencies, foreclosures and active adult and community lifestyles. Speakers include MERIT CEO and Founder Melinda Masson, Vice President of Finance Andrew Schlegel and Vice President of Active Adult Communities Scott Hysler.

Raleigh, NC - October 26, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Foreclosure prevention efforts that have helped more than 1,100 North Carolinians save their homes got a boost earlier this month when the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency was awarded an additional $895,350 of federal funds from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

Funds to Help Homeowners at Risk of Losing Homes. WASHINGTON, DC - October 21, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt today announced the award of $115,823 in Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants to Quincy Community Action Programs (QCAP) and the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority.

AUSTIN, TX - October 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) has announced that it has secured $449,960 in federal grant funds through the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program to help stem the tide of home foreclosures and bring stability to families, neighborhoods and local government finances.

TALLAHASSEE, LF - October 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Florida CFO Alex Sink today highlighted two initiatives she started to bring real, tangible help to Florida homeowners facing foreclosure, and heard from community groups and homeowners who are on the frontlines of tackling the state’s housing crisis.

Washington, DC - October 20, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-35), Chairwoman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, recognizing the impact foreclosures are having on the country, called on the attorneys general from the nation’s 50 states to bring suit against lenders in order to force more loan modifications.“We need aggressive action to force lenders to modify the predatory loans that they made. State attorneys general and civil rights groups are taking the lead in preventing foreclosures by filing lawsuits against the originators of these predatory loans, and I commend them for their action,” Chairwoman Waters said

October 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Indiana Supreme Court and its partners in the “Back Home In Indiana—Guiding Homeowners Through Foreclosure” program will announce how many judges, attorneys and mediators have been trained this summer on how to better handle foreclosure cases. Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard will also announce why the Court will launch a new plan to support settlement conferences.

October 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Indiana Supreme Court and its partners in the “Back Home In Indiana—Guiding Homeowners Through Foreclosure” program will announce how many judges, attorneys and mediators have been trained this summer on how to better handle foreclosure cases. Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard will also announce why the Court will launch a new plan to support settlement conferences.

October 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Indiana Supreme Court and its partners in the “Back Home In Indiana—Guiding Homeowners Through Foreclosure” program will announce how many judges, attorneys and mediators have been trained this summer on how to better handle foreclosure cases. Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard will also announce why the Court will launch a new plan to support settlement conferences.