Forensic Mortgage Loan Auditing is Latest Scam Targeting Homeowners

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a consumer alert about a new twist on mortgage loan modification fraud. According to the nation’s top consumer protection agency, the latest scam to exploit financially strapped homeowners is the “forensic mortgage loan audit.”

The FTC says the fraud works like this: In exchange for an upfront fee of several hundred dollars, so-called forensic loan auditors offer to review the homeowner’s mortgage loan documents to determine whether the lender complied with state and federal mortgage lending laws. If a violation is found, the “auditors” say their findings can be used to avoid foreclosure, accelerate the loan modification process, reduce the loan principal, or even cancel the loan.

Nothing could be further from the truth, according to the FTC and its law enforcement partners. Forensic loan audits don’t help homeowners with loan modification or any other foreclosure relief.

Through the national Loan Modification Scam Alert campaign, NeighborWorks America is working with the FTC and other federal, state and local agencies to help homeowners facing foreclosure to spot loan modification scams, find trusted help and report illegal activity to authorities. NeighborWorks also urges homeowners who need help to go to findaforeclosurecounselor.org or call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) to get legitimate assistance from a HUD-certified housing counseling agency.

Green Homes Can — and Should — Be Affordable Homes

by Thomas P. Deyo, Deputy Director
Green, National Real Estate & Community Stabilization
NeighborWorks America

How can homes be efficient and healthy while remaining affordable?

“It’s about paying careful attention to the basics — thoughtful design, smart choices and good building,” says The Home Depot Foundation President Kelly Caffarelli, in a really thoughtful article on how families of modest incomes can reap the economic and health benefits of environmentally friendly homes.

I agree, and was pleased to see Community Housing Partners (CHP) — a NeighborWorks member organization in Christianburg, Virginia — cited as a prime example of how nonprofit developers are building green, affordable homes as a matter of practice.

CHP is just one of many organizations in the NeighborWorks network that are bringing green benefits to moderate- and low-income communities through green home design, construction and rehabilitation. In fact, NeighborWorks America and the NeighborWorks network are fully committed to creating or rebuilding healthy, sustainable communities across the country. Visit nw.org/green to see a sample of the award-winning, green developments in the NeighborWorks network.

Cafarelli’s article, Green affordable housing protects pocketbooks, people and the planet, was published in Mother Nature Network’s blog.

Kudos to a Grassroots Effort to Stem Impact of Foreclosures in Detroit

As residents move out of a Detroit neighborhood hard hit by foreclosures, Bill Swanson spends his days trying to persuade businesses to move into vacant commercial spaces. "Shop by shop and block by block, the head of the local business alliance is waging a grassroots fight against crime, blight and neglect." CNN Money

We can't help but applaud this kind of effort.

http://bit.ly/9GVbOH

NeighborWorks America Reaffirms Its Commitment to 'Go Green'

As the nation celebrates Earth Day 2010, NeighborWorks America reaffirms its commitment to help low- and moderate-income communities across the nation go “green” and become healthy, sustainable places for people to live and work.

The commitment begins at home with NeighborWorks America’s pledge to reduce its own carbon footprint by 10 percent by 2012, and to offer training and education on green practices to the nonprofit community development field at large.

The commitment continues throughout the NeighborWorks network, which is working hard to promote green practices in communities through green home design and construction, rehabilitation, weatherization, energy efficient rental properties, and green jobs training. NeighborWorks America and the NeighborWorks network are fully committed to work together to create or rebuild healthy, sustainable communities across the country.

“This is an exciting time for the nonprofit community development field and its efforts to create healthy, sustainable and affordable housing,” said Thomas P. Deyo, deputy director of National Initiatives and Applied Research at NeighborWorks America. “NeighborWorks America is committed to being a leader in employing and promoting green and sustainable practices for the long-term benefit of the environment and our nation’s communities, so that all people can live, work, and play in healthy, ecologically friendly and affordable places.”

The NeighborWorks newsroom has more information, including highlights of just a few of the local NeighborWorks organizations’ green initiatives currently underway.

Learn about NeighborWorks Green Agenda at www.nw.org/green, and about Green training opportunities at http://www.nw.org/network/green/training.asp.

NeighborWorks Works with Realtors to Develop New 'Green The MLS' Toolkit for Marketing Green Homes

The National Association of Realtors^® (NAR) released in time for Earth Day a new “green” tool kit to help Realtors^® add a green initiative to their local multiple listing service (MLS). The toolkit will make it easier to market and identify green homes for homebuyers and sellers. Its development was a collaborative effort by a team of individuals, associations and organizations, including NeighborWorks America^®.

“NAR research has consistently shown that there is a considerable and growing market for green buildings. ...Earth Day on April 22 only underscores the fact that many of today’s consumers want homes and communities that are sensitive to the larger environment. The Green MLS Tool Kit allows Realtors^® to support this growing market,” said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder.

“By identifying which homes contain energy efficient and environmentally friendly characteristics, the Greening MLS Tool Kit will help all home buyers – especially first-time and low- and moderate income home buyers – make more informed choices about the cost of their housing and where upfront payment may lead to long-term saving,” said Ken Wade, NeighborWorks America CEO.

Other organizations participating in the collaborative effort include the Appraisal Institute; Council of Multiple Listing Services; EcoBroker International; Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.; Metropolitan Regional Information; Multi-Regional Multiple Listing Service System; National Association of Home Builders; Traverse Area Association of Realtors^®; and the U.S. Green Building Council.

Learn more about the Green MLS Toolkit at http://www.greenthemls.org/. More information is also available in NAR's press release.