April 9 Mortgage Check-Up Provides Relief to Homeowners | Events

Though court filings for foreclosure in Western New York are low, a report from the New York State Banking Department suggests the number of homeowners in need of housing advocacy could as much as double over the next year. A Mortgage Check-Up event on Saturday, April 9 will provide Western New York homeowners worried about their mortgages with a quick, easy and confidential way to address their concerns.

Counselors and lawyers will consult homeowners privately from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the FLARE office at 307 Leroy Ave. The Mortgage Check-Up is sponsored by West Side Neighborhood Housing Services and New York State Homes and Community Renewal, in partnership with Fillmore Leroy Area Residents (FLARE), Western New York Law Center, Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo and Legal Services for the Elderly, Disabled and Disadvantaged of Western New York.

The reason for the expected increase in Western New York foreclosures lies in the state’s long foreclosure waiting period, made longer by legislation passed last year.

“From the time [homeowners] stop making their payments, it’s probably a year and a half to two years before they go to court,” said Ed Jackson, Foreclosure Prevention Counselor at West Side Neighborhood Housing Services. “That can make foreclosure numbers look low, because a lot of people who have stopped making payments haven’t been to court yet.”

The good news, Jackson said, is that homeowners have a lot of time to address their mortgage issues. The bad news is that the longer they don’t make payments, the worse the problem becomes.

“The worst thing you can do is nothing,” said Jackson. “If you’re struggling to make your monthly payments due to high interest rates or think you may be in a subprime or predatory mortgage situation, we can help!”

Those interested in the event can call West Side Neighborhood Housing Services at (716) 885-2344, register online at wnymortgagecheckup.eventbrite.com, or simply drop in at the FLARE office on April 9.

West Side Neighborhood Housing Services is part of the national NeighborWorks® network, an affiliation of more than 230 nonprofit organizations that increase homeownership, produce affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods in more than 4,400 communities across the nation. The agency partners with Black Rock-Riverside Neighborhood Housing Services to provide full-cycle lending products to strengthen neighborhoods through successful homeownership in the communities west of Main Street in the city of Buffalo.  Please visit wsnhs.org for more information.