It was around 6 pm on July 14 when the band playing at a local public event in Great Falls, Montana suddenly stopped playing. An air horn sounded and a group of people, mostly dressed in red, froze. They were the staff, volunteers and partners of NeighborWorks Montana, and they had descended on Central Avenue for a flash mob demonstration aimed at raising awareness about the Emergency Homeowners’ Loan Program (EHLP).
Time is running out to apply for EHLP, a foreclosure prevention program launched by NeighborWorks America and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to help homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgages as a result of job loss or underemployment. The $1billion program covers past-due mortgage payments as well as a portion of eligible homeowners’ mortgage payment for up to 24 months or $50,000, whichever comes first. The state of Montana received over $5.7 million in EHLP money and estimates it will help about 178 families throughout Montana.
All applications must be in by July 22. Participating housing counseling agencies are getting the word out, but perhaps none as creatively as NeighborWorks Montana!
Here’s video, pictures and a news article about it.