NeighborWorks Board Agencies Join NeighborWorks Week Volunteers to Landscape Low-income Property in DC

If you're having trouble viewing the video below, see it on our YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhA64EKLGf8&feature=channel_page

NeighborWorks and NHS of South Florida Join NBA All-Stars

Yesterday NeighborWorks America and Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (NHSSF) joined the HOPE NOW alliance for the ‘Bringing Hope Home’ foreclosure prevention campaign, which featured NBA All-Stars Alonzo Mourning and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat and Latino television host Fernando Arau.

Mourning, Wade and Arau met with NHSSF’s counselors and clients and visit local businesses in the Miami Gardens neighborhood. The goal of the foreclosure prevention campaign is to raise awareness of the foreclosure crisis and the free resources available to homeowners in danger of foreclosure, including the government’s Making Home Affordable Program.

For more information, read today's Miami Herald story about the event.

FDIC Appoints Ellen Lazar as Senior Advisor for Consumer Policy

NeighborWorks America congratulates former NeighborWorks America Executive Director Ellen Lazar on her appointment as senior advisor for consumer policy to FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair. In this new position, Lazar will advise the Chairman on issues relating to the corporation's consumer policy and programs.

Chairman Bair, in announcing the appointment, said, "Ms. Lazar's long and distinguished career has been focused on community development and consumer protection. Her expertise and experience in these areas will contribute significantly to the FDIC's consumer programs and policy development."

Lazar was executive director of NeighborWorks America from 2000-2003. Read more about Lazar’s appointment.

Foreclosures Grind On as Lenders Fail to Modify Loans

Today, USAToday reported that efforts to reduce foreclosures have been beset by backlogs and delays, leaving many overstretched homeowners uncertain whether they'll keep their homes or lose them shortly. The article highlights data from NeighborWorks America’s recently released report to Congress on the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. While the report shows that more than 400,000 homeowners have been helped through the program, it also details slow response times of up to 45-60 days on the part of servicers.

Read USAToday article.
See NeighborWorks release.
Download NFMC report.

HUD Offers $58 Million for Housing Counseling

HUD has announced that more than $58 million is available for a broad range of housing counseling programs to help families find and preserve housing. The funding is an increase of $11 million, or 23 percent, over last year. These grants will be awarded competitively to hundreds of HUD-approved counseling agencies and State Housing Finance Agencies that offer a variety of services including how to purchase or rent a home, how to avoid foreclosure, how to improve credit scores, and how to qualify for a reverse mortgage. View HUD news release. Access funding announcement and application.

National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program Helps More than 400,000

NeighborWorks America, the administrator of the Congressionally authorized National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) program, announced today that through May 31, 2009 more than 405,000 homeowners have received foreclosure prevention counseling as a result of NFMC funding.

The report found that more than 90 percent of homeowners receiving counseling were still in their homes as of February 2009, although 18 percent of those families had a foreclosure process started. Six percent of families counseled had a foreclosure completed and another 3 percent had their mortgage paid off through a refinance, short-sale, or deed-in-lieu. Read more:

Press Release
Report Description [PDF, 56 KB]
Executive Summary [PDF 129 KB]
Full Report [PDF, 4.1 MB]

National NeighborWorks Week Engages Thousands in Volunteer Community Service

Approximately 170 NeighborWorks organizations hosted 340 events nationwide during National NeighborWorks Week, which was held from June 6-13, 2009. NeighborWorks Plants!, this year’s thematic event, attracted 100 NeighborWorks organizations to beautify their neighborhoods with trees, flowers and shrubs. By the end of the week, thousands of people from across the country had donated their time and labor to help make their communities better places to live, work and play. See pictures and stories of the volunteers at work.

New Fact Sheet Available in Four Languages

Did you know:

NeighborWorks America's tips on How to Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams are now available in four languages: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and English.

To download the fact sheet, visit NeighborWorks America's web site (http://www.nw.org/) or click on the following links to download NeighborWorks' tips in the available languages.

How to Avoid Foreclosure Rescue Scams:

• Spanish
  
• Chinese


• Korean


• English

RUPCO Celebrates Five Years of Success

On Monday, June 8, Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO), a NeighborWorks organization based in Kingston, N.Y., marked their fifth anniversary and a myriad of accomplishments.

From co-founding a collaboration that has provided foreclosure prevention education to 1,300 New York residents to helping 33 homebuyers become first-time homeowners in 2008, RUPCO has so much to celebrate.

Watch the story from MidHudsonNews.com and learn more about this inspiring organization.

Congratulations to RUPCO on five years of success!

Podcast: Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Home for the First Time?

NeighborWorks America National Homeownership Programs Director Marietta Rodriguez discusses why now may be a good time to buy. She also advises homebuyers to avoid pitfalls during the homebuying process.

If you're having difficulty viewing the player below, go here.

Housing Industry Funding Opportunities

A new page on nw.org features funding opportunities, arising from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Stimulus Bill). On the page you will find current ARRA and other federal funding opportunities that you may be able to tap as you develop your housing projects and programs. See funding opportunities.

NeighborWorks America Salutes National Homeownership Month

NeighborWorks America will conduct a series of consumer outreach efforts to support affordable, sustainable and healthy homes and neighborhoods during the 2009 National Homeownership Month.

“For more than 30 years, NeighborWorks America and its network of affiliates around the country have supported and encouraged affordable and sustainable homeownership,” said Ken Wade CEO of NeighborWorks America. “We’re continuing those efforts and this month are launching increased marketing and social media efforts to put the right information in the hands of potential homeowners so that they achieve the American Dream of homeownership for the long-run.”

Read more about what we have planned for June.
Visit NeighborWorks National Homeownership Month Web page for resources for homeowners.

Volunteer in Your Community! National NeighborWorks Week Begins June 6

Volunteers from across the country are gearing up for National NeighborWorks Week, June 6-13, 2009. More than 160 NeighborWorks organizations are slated to participate in this annual volunteer week, conducting nearly 300 events nationwide. NeighborWorks Plants! will kick off the week on June 6, with more than 100 organizations engaging community residents in efforts to beautify their neighborhoods with trees, plants, vegetables and flowers. Find out more details about this annual event and find a volunteer opportunity near you!

HUD Sanctions More Than 100 FHA Lenders

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Mortgagee Review Board has announced actions against more than 120 lenders for violating FHA requirements. Violations range from failure to conduct sufficient quality control, to failure to continue to meet FHA recertification requirements, to falsifying loan documents. See HUD press release. View List of lenders and the actions taken.

Renters Get New Protection From Foreclosure

Renters have more protection against losing their homes under a new foreclosure prevention bill President Obama signed into law on May 20. Starting immediately, the law requires that tenants who pay their rent on time can remain in their home until the end of their lease. Even without a lease, renters must be allowed to stay in their home for 90 days after the foreclosure. Learn more at WashingtonPost.com, including a link to state-by-state analysis of eviction and foreclosure laws. In response, the National Low Income Housing Coalition has developed a Renters in Foreclosure Toolkit that counselors can use as part of their foreclosure prevention efforts. Get this resource.