By Patricia Fenn

Special to The Sentinel

Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Dist. 4) gathered regional officials in the effort to bring counseling services to distressed homeowners last Thursday morning at the Prince George's County Sports and Learning Complex in Landover. Edwards who, as a single mother, faced foreclosure about 15 years ago because she had gotten behind in paying bills, said, "I know the feeling."

She went on to address a standing room only gathering.

"Debt-strapped and trapped in high-cost loans, homeowners are losing their homes and the financial benefits that equity and appreciation should afford. While it is important that we work to address this issue in Congress, we also must take steps in our own communities to offer assistance and information to people losing their homes to foreclosure," Edwards said.

According to RealtyTrac, there are over 2,000 homes in Maryland's fourth Congressional District in foreclosure or default, said her press release, with 32 percent of the 8,900 warnings in the state of either a foreclosure sale, mortgage default notice or notice of foreclosure.

With the help of co-sponsors from state, county and regional agencies and organizations and the real estate industry, Edwards assembled a large contingent of pro-bono attorneys, housing counselors and workshop presenter.

Opening and welcoming remarks were made by Deputy Assistant Secretary Phillip Murray of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson and Director of Outreach Kelly Vaughn of Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development. All quietly assured attendees that asking for help was the hardest part of a homeowner's start to take control of their way out of financial difficulty.

Then each described different programs to lenders, developers in distress or homeowners facing foreclosure or on the brink of it. Jack Johnson noted that newly appointed acting director James Johnson of the county's Department of Housing and Community Development was organizing how $10 million to the county for revitalization will be allotted. The funding flows from a pass through from the state of Congressional passage and presidential approval of the $700 billion Housing and Economic Recovery Act passed in July.

Murray described Federal Housing Administration programs, including FHA Secure, which permits financing by borrowers for mortgages even if they're behind on payments.

Presenters in workshops described how to recognize credit trouble, things that can be eliminated to cut fat from your budget, terms of foreclosure and distribution of a lot of material, including an approved list of services for counseling.

Donna Badgett Hurley, Executive Director of Housing Options and Planning Enterprises, Inc. and a member of the Association of Prince George's County Board of Realtors, asked attendees, "Look at your situation: Do you have a budget? Do you know your credit score? Have you checked your annual, free copy of your credit record? What can you cut to make homeownership a reality? Work with a housing or counseling agency to help you. The state has a list."

Vaughn noted while emphasis in recent years addressed housing ownership and lending, a substantial shift had been made into helping homeowners stay in their homes. A list of typical questions and answers about foreclosure can be found on their Web site along with a calendar that shows their outreach to the metropolitan community.

"We've been at this for the last 20 months. No other state has this much progressive legislation, levels of programs or public service announcements."

"We mailed out 680,000 letters about our 'Mortgage Late? Don't Wait', consumer information kit with action steps, information, forms for completion when meeting with a housing counselor and the format for a letter of hardship."

"We've helped train 700 pro-bono attorneys. We've taken out notices in movie theatres; we've referred 14,000 calls to the 32 agencies helping homeowners in some fashion. [Gov. Martin] O'Malley is serious about helping."

The rest of the four-hour seminar was taken up with individual sessions with attorneys and housing counselors. There were long lines.

After it was over, Julio Baptista, 29 and Julian Geraldo, 36, of Glenarden, who had been in their home for four years said, "We are really happy. We found some options we didn't know about that will probably keep us in our home. We found out about the power of a hardship letter ... about the importance of calling to get help."

Bertie Frasier, 63, of Bowie, a part owner in a house in foreclosure, had taken the day off to attend. Frasier smiled and said, "While my case is quite complex, I am elated about the help I got. This workshop has really been helpful to me."

The "Save Your Home" forum featured nearly 40 pro-bono attorneys from The Civil Justice Network from Baltimore City and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland. Other co-sponsors thanked by the speakers were the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now, Center for Responsible Lending, Greater Urban League, Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Montgomery County government and United Communities Against Poverty.

Finally, Assistant State's Attorney April N. Richardson of the county's Mortgage Fraud and Foreclosure Division produced a Web site that explains the foreclosure process and industry terms: www.marylandforeclosurelawmadesimple.com.

Photo by Marketa Ebert