NeighborWorks COO Eileen Fitzgerald Featured on "Code Red" Radio Show

Yesterday Eileen Fitzgerald, chief operating officer for NeighborWorks America, joined Code Red! radio host Alfred McComber to discuss the new Loan Modification Scam Alert campaign.

Listen to Eileen share tips consumers can use to spot and avoid loan modification scams. Eileen's half-hour interview begins 28 minutes and 42 seconds into the show.

For more information about NeighborWorks' new Loan Modification Scam Alert campaign, visit our web site at http://www.loanscamalert.org/.

Former Executive Director George Knight Inducted into Affordable Housing Hall of Fame

George Knight, former executive director of NeighborWorks America, was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame in a luncheon ceremony held during The Affordable Housing Developers’ Summit on October 28 at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. Knight's wife, Kathy Desmond, accepted the award. Steve Tuminaro, NeighborWorks America’s director of Public Policy and Legislative Affairs and long-time colleague of George Knight, addressed the attendees, speaking of the significant growth of the NeighborWorks system under the Knight’s leadership. Tuminaro also spoke of the legacy for continued growth that Knight left with us.

Read the article in Affordable Housing Finance Magazine regarding the Hall of Fame inductees, and a tribute to George Knight.

View NeighborWorks America's tribute to Knight: Remembering George Knight: A Model for Servant Leadership

NeighborWorks America Adds Two New “Green” Courses to its National Training Institute Curriculum; Offerings Designed to Help Communities Go Green

NeighborWorks America expanded its curriculum of energy efficiency and healthy homes courses to include two new classes designed to help community leaders engage residents in creating greener communities, and to help non-profit managers improve the green footprint of their organizations.

The new courses, Taking Green Action in Your Community, and Greening Your Organization” bring the total number of “Green” courses taught at the upcoming NeighborWorks Training institute to six. In all, NeighborWorks America offers 16 green courses. The next NeighborWorks Training institute is December 7-11 in suburban Washington, D.C. Registration is still open at http://www.nw.org/network/training/training.asp.

“These courses are great additions to our existing offerings, providing important information for nonprofit leaders that will help them reduce the carbon footprint of their organizations, and help educate residents on how to ensure that the communities in which they live are healthy and sustainable,” said Thomas Deyo, director of green programs at NeighborWorks America.

Greening Your Organization is supplemented by a guide released earlier this year by NeighborWorks America, Greening Your Nonprofit From the Inside Out. Produced in conjunction with Strategic Sustainability Consulting, the 84-page guide contains case studies that non-profit organizations around the country can follow to lower their energy usage and increase the health quality of the places they work and the housing that they build.

“All of the courses and the guide are part of NeighborWorks America’s program called, “Think Green, Act Green”, a commitment to advance environment responsibility across the community development industry,” added Deyo. More on this commitment can be found at www.nw/green.

NHS of South Florida Installs Green, Hurricane Ready Home in Four Hours

With a grant from the NeighborWorks Innovations in Factory Built Housing program and assistance from other funding partners, NeighborWorks member NHS of South Florida has completed the first green, hurricane ready Royal Concrete house in Miami. The home is all concrete and can withstand up to a category five hurricane. It is energy efficient with heavy insulation built in, all Energy STAR appliances and a solar water heater. It took took just four hours to install.

Watch this brief, minute and a half video of the installation below. If you have trouble viewing it, go here.

NeighborWorks America and Partners Launch National Campaign to Help Homeowners Combat Loan Modification Scams

Today in Los Angeles, NeighborWorks America and a partnership of local, state and national government agencies, nonprofit organizations and financial institutions gathered at City Hall to launch a national public education campaign designed to help homeowners protect themselves against loan modification scams, find trusted help and report illegal activity to authorities. This was the first of several kickoff events scheduled to announce the “Loan Modification Scam Alert” campaign rollout in major cities across the country.

The national foreclosure rate has reached an all-time high of 7.97 percent, and millions more foreclosures are expected in coming years. “As the foreclosure rate grows, more and more homeowners are being deceived by scam artists who prey on their fears,” said Eileen Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer of NeighborWorks America. “This campaign is based on the belief that knowledge is the best defense, which is why the campaign equips homeowners with the tools they need to minimize their risk and stop scammers in their tracks.”

Los Angeles is one of several metropolitan areas in California to consistently rank among cities with the highest foreclosure rates. It has the highest number of homes in foreclosure in the nation. “Too many residents in Los Angeles, like homeowners nationwide, are losing thousands of dollars and their homes to scam artists who make big promises and then do little or nothing to help them save their homes,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “Anyone can be a victim and the people of Los Angeles need to know what resources are available to them. They need to know that legal aid groups, financial institutions, and HUD-certified counselors are offering free services to anyone seeking help.”

NeighborWorks America will coordinate the nationwide effort through its 235 community-based affiliates and other local, state and national partner organizations, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Together, the partners aim to reach thousands of distressed homeowners in hundreds of communities at high risk for fraud activity. The campaign will target all audiences, but its resources are focused sharpest on those groups that have already seen high levels of scam activity, including seniors, Hispanics, African Americans and Asian Americans.

As part of the campaign, information, resources and reporting capabilities are now available around the clock at http://www.loanscamalert.org/ and by calling 1-888-995-HOPE (4673). Community groups may also visit the Web site to access campaign materials available for download and distribution in their area.

The partnership has designated November as “National Loan Modification Scam Awareness Month” and will promote a variety of special events and initiatives throughout the month. In the coming weeks, the campaign will also travel to Miami (Oct. 29) and Columbus (mid-November). For more information about the campaign visit http://www.loanscamalert.org/.

A Webcast of the Los Angeles event will be available on-demand anytime after noon PST on Oct. 26 at: http://media.xfactorcom.com/loanmodificationscamalert/20091026/