The Cuyahoga County Foreclosure Prevention Program was created by the County Commissioners and County Treasurer Jim Rokakis in the spring of 2006 to assist residents of Cuyahoga County Ohio who were having trouble with (or had questions about) their home loans. The program, which has become a model for other programs like it nationwide, connects borrower in distress with a local non-profit counseling agency through the United Way's First Call for Help line. All Cuyahoga County borrowers need to do is dial 2-1-1 (or 216-436-2000) and they will be connected to a free counselor.

REGISTER NOW FOR A MORTGAGE WORKSHOP NEAR YOU  
The Mortgage Workshops bring together experts who will share information about the foreclosure problem, the new federal government mortgage programs, the dangers of foreclosure rescue scams, and better options to help people keep their homes. Certified foreclosure counselors will be on site, ready to meet with you one on one if you have any questions.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS

If you find that you are having trouble paying your mortgage; OR if you have are considering buying a new home, or refinancing your existing home loan; OR if you are in foreclosure – you should call United Way’s First Call for Help Line (2-1-1 OR 216-436-2000).  This will lead you to a FREE session with a local housing counseling agency, to determine what type of help is best for you. 

Many people do not realize the important role that housing counselors play in the current mortgage crisis.  Lenders would rather help you work through the issues that you have, with the help of a non-profit housing counseling agency.

What are my option if I miss a payment?

If you miss a mortgage payment, you have many options.  The lender can agree to a:

1. Workout plan - usually where you repay what you owe (on top of your monthly payment) spread out over a year.
2. A loan modification – where the lender agrees to change the terms of the loan to give you a monthly payment that you can afford
3. Can I give the house back to the lender?  The short answer is Yes.  The long answer is that this isn’t as easy as it looks.  These options are:
   1. Short sale – where you find somebody to pay the lender what is left to pay on the loan (or, some other amount that is acceptable to the lender)
   2. Deed in lieu – where you give the house back to the lender, in exchange for their agreement to stop going after you in the foreclosure case and to zero the balance due on the loan
   3. Abandoning the house – this is a really bad idea.  Leaving the house empty can lead to an increase in crime for the neighbors who stay, and problems for you.  Because you own the house, until the bank files a new deed.  If the house is damaged in the meantime, the City has the right to (and most often does) come after you for the housing code violations.  You may also continue to owe the taxes, as result.

The lender has threatened me and been abusive on the phone, maybe I should just ignore them.

Whatever the lender does, however you feel, DO NOT stop trying to help yourself!  Being mistreated by the lender is probably the best reason to seek counseling help.   No problem that you have will get better by ignoring it.  Mortgage trouble is no exception to this rule.  Get yourself to a non-profit housing counseling agency as soon as you see that that there is (or might be) a problem. 

Educational Materials

To order posters or doorhangers for your organization for community distribution, please e-mail sbillington@cuyahogacounty.us or call 211or (216) 443-8182.

Contact us at Foreclosure Prevention