Tue Feb 09 2010
By LISA NICELY
HELP is on the way for individuals facing foreclosure.
Homeowner Education regarding Loss Prevention (HELP), a foreclosure forum, will be held from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 16 at Defiance College's Serrick Center. The forum, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC) and the college's social work program.
The focus of the forum is for individuals to learn more about alternatives to foreclosure and what can be done to prevent losing one's home.
Refreshments will be provided, along with a packet of resources for individuals.
"The whole point of this forum is to get professionals and private citizens that are concerned with foreclosure as well as social workers, bankers and everyone who deals with foreclosure issues to get into a meaningful discussion," said Tammy Kinkade, foreclosure prevention counselor with NOCAC.
Speakers will include a foreclosure mediator and a panel which includes a bank representative, realtor, attorney, Ohio Housing Finance Agency representative and Housing and Urban Development foreclosure counselor.
Rutu Dala, of Legal Aid and president of the Northwest Ohio Housing Coalition, said that many of the professionals she's talked to about the forum think it's a good idea and can help individuals get the facts they need.
Organizers said resources and information about the steps people can take in foreclosure situations will be discussed. The biggest issue is to not ignore a foreclosure situation.
"Ignoring it doesn't make it go away," Kinkade said. "We're trying to get more information out and have people follow guidelines before it's too late."
One issue that will be discussed is mediation, which is an option in Ohio. That takes the issue out of the courts while trying to reach an agreeable solution for both the lender and the individual.
Alesia Yakos-Brown, assistant professor of social work, said her students pick a project each session to help in the community.
"We feel, as social workers, called to the community to address issues such as homelessness and we felt with the economy, foreclosure is something we should address," she said.
Dala said she hopes the forum will act as a kickoff to forming a foreclosure task force for Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding and Williams counties through the housing coalition.
Kinkade said she knows foreclosure may seem very overwhelming. The unemployment rate isn't helping, either.
"We have some of the highest unemployment in the state, and this will snowball," she said.
Rutu said the fact that there are few options for affordable rental housing is another factor to consider.
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