LSNYC Awarded More Than $2M to Help City Families Avoid Foreclosure

Funds will be awarded under Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Homeownership Protection Program

September 24, 2012, New York, NY– Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the grantees of the Homeowner Protection Program, his office’s commitment of $60 million over three years to fund housing counseling and legal services for New York homeowners. Legal Services NYC is pleased to have been awarded a total of $2,055,000 in the first year of funding to aid struggling homeowners across the City who are fighting to avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes.

The Homeowner Protection Program funding will enable Legal Services NYC
programs in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island to assist
homeowners in navigating the long and often complicated process of
applying for loan modifications, seeking foreclosure prevention
alternatives in New York’s judicial settlement conference process,
defending against wrongful foreclosures, and challenging the predatory
lending practices that were largely responsible for causing the
foreclosure crisis in New York’s low-income and minority communities.

In recent years almost half of homeowners facing foreclosure have
been forced to navigate the process without an attorney, and 63 percent
of New Yorkers are unrepresented at settlement conferences. Many also
lack access to housing counselors.

Legal Services NYC Executive Director Raun Rasmussen said, "We know that
having high-quality, experienced legal representation can make the
difference between losing or saving a home. Access to counsel for
homeowners in foreclosure is essential to protect homeowners' rights and
curb abusive lending and mortgage servicing practices. The Attorney
General’s Homeowner Protection Program is an indispensable link in
stabilizing the New York housing economy and getting homeowners and
communities back on track.”

“The rise in foreclosures in New York State is troubling, but
this isn’t just a matter of numbers: each foreclosure represents a
devastating loss for a family and a community. This program puts
homeowners first, and these organizations will help get our
neighborhoods back on track,” said Attorney General Schneiderman.
“Funding housing counseling and legal services is an essential first
step to help more families stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. As
we continue to investigate the mortgage crisis that has hurt
communities in every corner of this state, we must ensure that
homeowners get the expert guidance and legal representation they need to
protect their rights before it's too late.”

More information on today's announcement of awards for the Attorney
General's Homeowner Protection Program is available online at:
http://www.nysmortgagesettlement.com/hopp.html.

LSNYC Contacts: Jacob Inwald (646) 442-3634; Jennifer Ching (347) 592-2242

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