>From Staff Reports
The Cumberland Times-News Mon Jun 20, 2011, 11:04 PM EDT
CUMBERLAND — Assistance for people facing problems with difficulty paying mortgage payments is being targeted by agencies in Allegany County that serve low-income residents and seniors.
Allegany Law Foundation, Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission, Cumberland Neighborhood Housing Services and Western Maryland Legal Aid Bureau are joining to coordinate services to distressed homeowners.
“It is anticipated that in July regular office hours will be available at HRDC with housing counselors to assist the public. Such innovative approaches as providing portal technology to communicate directly with lenders are planned,” said Marcia Conrad, director of Allegany Law.
These agencies intend to also work with Garrett County agencies to provide services there.
“Their collaboration is called the Western Maryland Partnership and is receiving support from Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development,” said Conrad.
Sen. George Edwards is sponsoring a foreclosure solutions workshop that will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday at the HRDC’s Frostburg Senior Center at 27 S. Water St.
The Western Maryland Partnership is encouraging homeowners who are facing foreclosure or are worried about an increased interest rate or have other concerns about their mortgage to receive free one-on-one legal advice and housing counseling assistance at the event.
Last July, 15 families received assistance in a foreclosure solutions workshop in Cumberland.
A woman who attended the event related her experience. “My husband and I were two months behind in mortgage payments. I have MS and am on disability. My husband is retired but was working at Walmart for extra income and supplemental health insurance when he got sick and was laid off. Senator (Ben) Cardin’s staff encouraged me to go to the workshop and I am so glad I went there. It is the best thing I ever did. Carrie Forrester, the attorney who assisted us, was great. She was able to reach a modification with Bank of America and that brings our payments current and the interest rate down to 5 percent.”
Allegany Law and the Bar Association of Allegany County have been working with the Maryland Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project of the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland to plan and staff the event. Homeowners should call 800-396-1274 to register. Registration guarantees a free legal consultation with a volunteer attorney to discuss an individual mortgage situation. The workshop will give participants directions on the next steps to take and where to go for help.
Conrad said workshop participants should bring all materials related to their current and former mortgages, including the loan application, settlement paperwork and lender statements; any foreclosure notices or threats of foreclosure received; and a monthly household income and expense budget.
The Foreclosure Solutions Workshop is free and open to the public. The site is handicapped-accessible. For more information and other assistance with housing problems, call Allegany Law at 301-722-3390.
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