Loan refinance/modification workshop and new online tools are latest efforts to save homes for Southern Arizonans
TUCSON, AZ – December 1, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The office of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is taking aggressive new steps to protect the homes of Southern Arizonans who are facing the loss of their homes through foreclosure.
Giffords’ office will host a refinance and loan modification workshop in Tucson next week. There also is a new portion of the congresswoman’s website with numerous tools to help homeowners threatened with foreclosure.
“For several years now, Arizona has had one of the nation’s highest foreclosure rates,” said Pia Carusone, chief of staff for Giffords. “Our team of constituent services representatives is dedicated to doing everything possible to make sure Southern Arizonans can stay in their homes.”
On Dec. 7, Giffords’ office will host a Homeowners’ Refinance and Loan Modification Workshop in Tucson. The event will be held in conjunction with Family Housing Resources, Old Pueblo Community Services, the Pima County Housing Center and the Southwest Fair Housing Council.
At the event, representatives from the congresswoman’s office as well as counselors approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be available to meet with individual homeowners to answer questions about loan modifications, refinancing and other housing-related concerns.
Giffords’ office this week also established a new area on the congresswoman’s website dedicated to housing assistance and foreclosure prevention. There is information on the Home Affordable Refinance Program as well as links to other helpful sites and agencies. The website is available here or by going to giffords.house.gov </
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and clicking on the “Housing Assistance and Foreclosure Prevention” label on the left side.Giffords’ staff recently met with representatives from the Arizona Department of Housing, the U.S. Treasury, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to discuss foreclosure prevention strategies in Southern Arizona. The congresswoman’s office also convened a conversation with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and the Arizona congressional delegation to discuss statewide foreclosure issues.
In September, Giffords’ office led a multistate effort to find the best ways of helping Americans who are threatened with losing their homes through foreclosure. Giffords’ constituent services representatives convened a conference call with their counterparts in 25 congressional offices across five states that are hard hit by foreclosures.
Giffords’ constituent services team has assisted hundreds of people facing foreclosure in Southeastern Arizona. In many cases, the congresswoman’s office has been able to have foreclosure delayed or canceled – sometimes because the actions were wrongly initiated by lenders and mortgage servicers.
Earlier this year, Justine Pope, then the congressional liaison for Fannie Mae, called Giffords’ constituent services staff “the Gold Standard in the field of caseworkers” dealing with foreclosure issues.
A recent report found that foreclosure activity in Arizona jumped nearly 18 percent in October compared with the previous month. RealtyTrac said nearly 4,200 homeowners lost their homes in October and another 6,400 were served with notices of default.
WHAT: U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Office holds Homeowners’ Refinance and Loan Modification Workshop
WHEN: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2011
WHERE: Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road
