Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County Receives $93,000 to Fight Foreclosures

Grant to support foreclosure prevention counseling efforts; provide much-needed boost to homeowners facing foreclosure

Scranton, PA - Today NHS of Lackawanna County (NHS) announced that it has received over $93,000 to support foreclosure prevention counseling efforts in northeastern Pennsylvania. The much-needed boost will enable NHS to provide more foreclosure counseling than ever before to area homeowners in danger of foreclosure.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County Receives $93,000 to Fight Foreclosures“These funds will allow us the opportunity to invest additional time and resources in homeowners who are in default or in danger of defaulting on their mortgage,” said Jesse J. Ergott, NHS Executive Director. “Counseling and education are key components to helping homeowners in tough financial situations find a positive outcome to their situation.”

The grant to support NHS’s foreclosure counseling intervention efforts was provided by funds from the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program. Approved by Congress in the FY08 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program is administered through a competitive application process by NeighborWorks® America, within guidelines defined by Congressional legislation. NeighborWorks America is an independent, Congressionally-chartered non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., with a mission to provide access to sustainable homeownership and safe, affordable rental housing.

Senator Robert P. Casey helped to secure $180 million for the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program with Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY), Chris Dodd (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) as part of the aforementioned bill, which was signed into law in December. “This money is a down payment to help keep Pennsylvania families in their homes,” said Casey. “Organizations like NHS are a key part of the overall strategy to fight foreclosures, as they are in a perfect position to help walk homeowners through the challenges they face and the steps they can take to prevent the loss of their homes.”

While not hit as hard as other areas in the country, northeastern Pennsylvania has certainly not been immune to the issue. “We’ve seen about a 50% increase in the amount of calls received for foreclosure prevention counseling over the last 4 months” said Ergott, adding that the funding will help NHS to react quickly to a growing need in the community. “In all likelihood, the need for this service will remain high for at least another year and a half, a period in which many subprime, adjustable rate loans will be resetting. NHS plans to provide this service for as long as it is needed.”

Neighborhood Housing Services of Lackawanna County enables families and individuals to have pride in their homes and in their community. NHS’s progressive lending programs and pragmatic strategies for community development have helped to arrest neighborhood deterioration by promoting homeownership and home rehabilitation for over 25 years.

NHS ~ a proud chartered member of NeighborWorks® America ~ is established as a NeighborWorks® HomeOwnership Center and through the collaboration of residents, business leaders, government and non-profit partners, NHS offers all of the services and education needed to shop for, purchase, rehabilitate, insure, maintain and manage a home.

For more information about the grant and how it will impact foreclosure prevention efforts in northeastern Pennsylvania or for information about how a counselor can assist you, please contact NHS at 570.558.2490 or visit them at www.nhslackawannapa.org.