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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Joseph Rendeiro
(202) 776-1566
jrendeiro@nclr.org
Washington, D.C.—In the midst of the devastating housing crisis affecting millions of Latinos across the country, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is launching a phone counseling service aimed at helping homeowners facing foreclosure. Residents of Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Michigan, and Washington state are invited to call the new hotline to speak with HUD-certified housing counselors who will help them navigate through their options of applying for a loan modification, short sale, refinance, or submitting a claim of wrongful foreclosure.
“There are about two million families in the process of losing their homes at this very minute, and drastic funding cuts have completely gutted foreclosure prevention programs at a time when we need them the most,” said Victor Burrola, Director of the NCLR Homeownership Network (NHN). “We’re hopeful that this hotline will provide the relief and expertise that countless homeowners need to navigate the confusing options before them and possibly save their homes.”
Borrowers who call the new hotline will first be offered a one-on-one counseling session with a local NHN counselor or other HUD-approved housing counseling agency. If they do not live near one, then a housing counselor will provide in-depth foreclosure prevention counseling over the phone. This service will include everything from providing an initial counseling and analysis of a homeowner’s situation and options to working with them throughout the loan modification process.
“Understanding the nuances of the foreclosure process is difficult for most people and is only made worse by loan modification scammers who particularly target Latinos and other communities of color, charging them thousands of dollars without providing assistance,” added Burrola. “We are now offering an easy, credible place to turn to so that no homeowner feels that they are out of options.”
Homeowners can contact the housing counseling hotline by calling (888) 532-3021.
The NCLR Homeownership Network (NHN)—a network of 50 community-based counseling providers—has provided first-time homebuyers with the advice and guidance they need to navigate the mortgage process for more than a decade. NCLR serves 65,000 families annually through this network.
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