Foreclosure Prevention Resources

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings’

Foreclosure Prevention  Resource Guide

I have several staffers who primarily work to keep Maryland residents in their homes, through mortgage modification and other services. If you or someone you know is in danger of losing their home through foreclosure, please call Deborah Perry in my Baltimore City office at (410) 685-9199.

 
Foreclosure Prevention Resources 

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Forbearance Program

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac help American families by extending their Forbearance Programs to up to a maximum of 12 months. This Forbearance Program extension will assist families in keeping their homes while they look for work.

If you become unemployed and will be unable to make your mortgage payments, you may be eligible to receive a forbearance from your mortgage company/mortgage servicer which reduces or suspends your monthly mortgage payments for six months to a maximum of 12 months, if you qualify.  Delinquent unemployed borrowers in an existing short time forbearance plan can be reviewed for an extended forbearance under the new policy.  While in a forbearance, a borrower would not be subject to foreclosure.      

The expanded forbearance programs will become manadatory on February 1, 2012 for Freddie Mac owned-or guaranteed loans and March 1, 2012 for Fannie Mae owned -or guaranteed loans. There are eligibility guidelines for these Forbearance programs. To determine if you qualify, you should contact your mortgage company/mortgage servicer.

Attorneys General Settlement

After many months of negotiation, 49 state attorneys general and the federal government have reached agreement on a historic joint state-federal settlement with the country’s five largest loan servicers: Ally/GMAC, Bank of America, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo. This bipartisan settlement will provide as much as $25 billion in relief to distressed borrowers in the states who signed on to the settlement; and direct payments to signing states and the federal government. It’s the largest consumer financial protection settlement in US history.

HOMEOWNER CONTACTS

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Home Owners Preserving Equity (HOPE) Initiative
Resources: Housing Counseling and Legal Assistance
Maryland HOPE Hotline: 1 (877) 462-7555
Internet: www.mdhope.org

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Resources: Housing Counseling and Refinance Program Information
FHA Hotline: 1 (800) 225-5342
Internet: http://www.hud.gov/foreclosure/index.cfm

Making Home Affordable/Alternative Options
Resources: Federal Government Refinance & Loan Modification Programs
Homeowners HOPE Hotline: 1 (888) 995- 4673
Internet: http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/

Preserving Homeownership and Weathering the Foreclosure Crisis
Resources: Housing Counseling and Legal Assistance
Housing Counseling - Maryland HOPE Hotline: 1 (877) 462-7555
Legal Assistance - Civil Justice: (410) 706-0174 www.civiljusticenetwork.org

Avoiding Foreclosure Scams
Community Law Center – (410) 366-0922
Internet: www.communitylaw.org

Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland
520 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 837-9379
www.probonomd.org

Prince Georges’ County State’s Attorney’s Office
14735 Main Street Suite M3403, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
(301) 952-3008
www.princegeorgescountymd.gov

Financial Management
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Baltimore Branch
(410) 576-3389
www.richmondfed.org