Help for Homeowners Facing the Loss of Their Home
Foreclosures in our community are at historically high levels and will remain high for the foreseeable future. You can help spread the word about resources available to people dealing with this crisis.
- Encourage conversation-Make it 'ok' to talk about this crisis
- Urge people to get help early
- Use reputable resources to avoid the scams
- There are some options even though they may not be evident
To examine specific foreclosure data for St. Charles County, view the Mortgage Foreclosure Presentation from Community Council's Network Luncheon.
Click here to learn about ways to help fragile families in your community experiencing a housing crisis.
Click here for a script that you can use to spread the word that reputable help is available.
The National HOPE Hotline, a program of the Homeownership Preservation Foundation, can be reached by calling 1-888-995-HOPE or visiting their website at www.995hope.org. Homeowners can receive phone counseling or on-line counseling. Avoid foreclosure scams; mortgage counseling should always be free. If more assistance is needed, the counselors of Hope Now will refer the caller to a local, credible housing counselor.
www.hopenow.com - This website is run by the 995HOPE organization with easy-to-use tools and a wealth of information including mortgage company contact numbers.
www.makinghomeaffordable.gov - Visit this website for information on new federal homeowner refinancing programs. People may qualify for help even if they have not yet missed a mortgage payment, but have experienced a reduction in income or home value. This is a governmental website with information and a self-assessment tool that will help you learn if you qualify for refinancing.
www.foreclosurehelpstl.org - Local information provided by the Metro St. Louis Foreclosure Intervention Task Force.
www.mhdc.com/homes/refinance_loans - a refinance program to help Missouri homeowners make their monthly mortgage payments and avoid foreclosure. The program is designed for responsible homeowners who need assistance with the closing costs associated with refinancing their existing mortgage, as well as those who need a reduction in principal balance of the first mortgage in order to refinance their existing home loan.
The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development also has information about how to avoid foreclosure.
www.loanscamalert.org - Protect yourself from loan modification scams by arming yourself with information.
