[Dewey-Darrow] Fw: Press Release City of Evanston Announces Foreclosure Prevention Partnership

Wed Feb 10 17:03:31 CST 2010


--- On Wed, 2/10/10, City of Evanston <epalmer at cityofevanston.org> wrote:


From: City of Evanston <epalmer at cityofevanston.org>
Subject: Press Release City of Evanston Announces Foreclosure Prevention Partnership
To: "Mary Wisniewski" <jowiz at sbcglobal.net>
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 4:56 PM


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2010
Contact:   Donna Spicuzza
Phone:     847/866-2928 ext 2564


City Announces Foreclosure Prevention Partnership with Interfaith Housing Center 
EVANSTON, IL - The City of Evanston and the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs are pleased to announce a new partnership to expand one-on-one foreclosure prevention counseling and education to Evanston residents.
The Evanston City Council recently approved a $25,000 grant from the Affordable Housing Fund to engage the Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs, a HUD-certified fair housing and housing counseling agency, to directly assist at least 75 Evanston residents at risk of mortgage foreclosure, and educate at least 170 Evanston homeowners on how to prevent loans from becoming delinquent and avoiding fraudulent lenders or servicers. 
Evanston residents worried about paying their mortgage loan or going into foreclosure can now meet with Interfaith staff for free, confidential counseling at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  Residents should call Interfaith at 847-501-5760 to schedule an appointment. 
Curbing foreclosures has long been a concern among city council members and is a priority in the Evanston Housing Commission’s 2009 Affordable Housing Plan. The number of foreclosures in Evanston more than tripled between 2005 and 2009, increasing from 96 in 2005 to 336 in 2009, according to Woodstock Institute reports.  Interfaith worked with Evanston agencies to create an “Evanston Home Preservation Task Force” to coordinate services to residents, many of whom were reluctant to come forward to seek help. 
Interfaith’s foreclosure prevention counselors assist homeowners in gathering the proper documentation  for possible loan modification, submit the documents on behalf of the homeowner, follow up with the lender regarding the loan modification request and inform the homeowner of steps to take to stay proactive. Interfaith also maintains its office in Winnetka, open 9-5, Monday through Friday.
In addition to individual counseling, Interfaith will hold community forums on communicating effectively with your lender, completing loan modification forms, avoiding mortgage rescue scams, and how to spot predatory lending. Forums will also provide information on federal programs and on Energy Star products. 
The Interfaith Housing Center of the Northern Suburbs is a nonprofit organization founded in 1972 that advocates for fair and affordable housing in 16 northern suburbs of Chicago.  Based in Winnetka, Illinois, it investigates complaints of housing discrimination, organizes tenants in landlord-neglected buildings, operates a Homesharing Program, and organizes residents at a grassroots level to promote affordable housing and diverse communities.  All services are free of charge.   
-END- 


City of Evanston, 2100 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 60201.    To unsubscribe from this list send a blank email to leave-58665-47965.f47f3c61cbc520a9617c6377ce8ea77b at mail.cityofevanston.org
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