Session Offers Home Lifeline: Discuss Foreclosure Fears With Lenders, Lawyers, Counselors

By J.N. Sbranti, The Modesto Bee, Calif.

Oct. 29--Homeowners with mortgage concerns can meet face-to-face with their lenders, and get counseling and legal advice free Saturday during a nationally sponsored foreclosure prevention workshop in Modesto.

Help will be offered in English, Spanish, Laotian and Hmong.

Reservations are not needed to attend the 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. event at the Stanislaus County Agriculture Center's Harvest Hall, 3800 Cornucopia Way, and parking is free.

"Anyone who is having problems with their mortgage can come and talk to someone in person and for free," said Eduardo Morales, who counsels homeowners and home buyers at El Concilio Community Center in Modesto.

Morales said it is particularly important for homeowners who have lost jobs or whose adjustable-rate mortgages will reset soon to come and learn what options are available.

Among the banks sending mortgage mitigation specialists will be Bank of America and its affiliate Countrywide; Chase and its affiliates from the former Washington Mutual; EMC Mortgage Corp.; and Wells Fargo.

Confidential advice from counselors certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be offered. Counselors from El Concilio, Visionary Builders, ClearPoint Counseling Solutions and the Southeast Asian Institute for Advancement will participate.

Attorneys will be available to meet with homeowners who believe they are victims of fraud. Katie Hogan from California Rural Legal Assistance and Andrew Medlin from Curtis Legal Group in Modesto will be among the lawyers attending.

Free group sessions will be offered throughout the day on these topics: Foreclosure 101, the federal government's Making Home Affordable program, how to avoid becoming a victim of loan fraud and crisis budgeting.

To make the most of the opportunity to meet with bank representatives, attorneys and counselors, homeowners are encouraged to bring these financial records:

--Pay stubs covering the last month

--2007 and 2008 income tax returns

--Bank statements for the past three months

--A household expense budget

--Copies of closing documents and most recent correspondence from the mortgage company

--Most recent property insurance and mortgage statements

--A letter explaining reasons for their current financial situation

To help homeowners organize their financial information, there is a Monthly Living Expenses budgeting form posted with this story on www.modbee.com.

Hundreds of homeowners are expected to attend Saturday's event, and they will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis. Some child care will be offered.

The event is sponsored by the Alliance for Stabilizing Our Communities, which includes the National Council of La Raza, the National Urban League and the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development. The alliance is organizing 40 such events nationwide.

El Concilio is coordinating much of Saturday's workshop. It can be reached at 523-2860.

Bee staff writer J.N. Sbranti can be reached at jnsbranti@modbee.com or 578-2196.

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