Obama Administration and HOPE NOW to Host Free Help for Homeowners Event in Atlanta

The Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program, The HOPE NOW Alliance and NeighborWorks® America are bringing the nation’s largest mortgage servicers, along with more than a dozen local,  non-profit housing counseling agencies, to Atlanta next week in order to work one-on-one with struggling homeowners in Georgia.

The event will allow homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments the opportunity to review their options and learn about possible alternatives to foreclosure.

This free event will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, in College Park, on Friday, June 1^st from 1:00pm to 8:00pm, and Saturday, June 2^nd from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Homeowners will be seen on a first come, first served basis and are encouraged to bring all mortgage documents, income documents, and hardship letters. A full list of the necessary documents can be found at www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov and www.HOPENOW.com.

Many of the largest mortgage companies are scheduled to be in attendance including Bank of America, BB&T, Chase, Citi, Everhome, Flagstar, GMAC, Homeward Residential (formerly American Home Mortgage Servicing, Inc.), HSBC, M&T Bank, Nationstar, Ocwen, One Main Financial, One West, PNC, Regions Bank, Select Portfolio Servicing, Seterus, State Home Mortgage, SunTrust & Wells Fargo.

Additionally, there will be more than thirty non-profit housing counselors from local organizations and representatives from several other mortgage market participants. Homeowners struggling because of unemployment can also learn more about Home Safe Georgia, funded by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Hardest Hit Fund, to help them make their mortgage payments while they look for work.

A similar two day event was held last June in the same location. Close to 2,200 homeowners received assistance from mortgage companies and non-profit housing counselors.

"While over 31,000 Georgia homeowners currently have more affordable mortgage payments through the Administration's Making Home Affordable Program, there are other homeowners out there who are still struggling and eligible for help," said Treasury Chief for Homeownership Preservation, Darius Kingsley. "This event offers homeowners a free opportunity to meet one-on-one with their mortgage servicer and a HUD-approved housing expert to discuss the options available to them based on their individual circumstances."

“HOPE NOW, along with Making Home Affordable and others, has hosted several events in Atlanta since 2008, with more than 10,000 homeowners in attendance. I encourage all Georgia homeowners struggling with their mortgage – due to unemployment, under employment, medical hardship or other financial issues - to attend this free event. Attendees will get good objective advice, and may even go home with an affordable solution that helps them stay in their home for the long term,” said Faith Schwartz, Executive Director of HOPE NOW.

The Obama Administration's Making Home Affordable Program was created to help struggling homeowners modify or refinance their mortgage payments to make them more affordable, or transition to more affordable housing to prevent avoidable foreclosures.   For more information, go to www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.

HOPE NOW is the industry-created alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, counselors, and other mortgage market participants, brought together by the Financial Services Roundtable, Housing Policy Council and Mortgage Bankers Association, that has developed and is implementing a coordinated plan to help as many homeowners as possible prevent foreclosure and stay in their homes. For more information, go to www.HopeNow.com.

NeighborWorks^® America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing.  NeighborWorks^® America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.  For more information, go to www.nw.org.

WSBTV