This the update from the meeting I attended May 21st, 2010
The task force is a coalition of public agencies, non profit service providers and other community partners working together to develop sustainable alternatives to foreclosures in Dane County.
The foreclosures are a growing problem in Dane county. The first quarter in 2009 suggested that the problem was worsening. Foreclosures increased 38% between the first quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009. This was a 10% higher than the than the statewide average. The task force believes that the problem must be addressed by a coordinated, community wide response.
The taskforce is currently chaired by Ellen Benards a community educator with green path debt solutions and Dan O‘Callaghan, an attorney with the law firm of Michael Best and Fruedruchs LLP.
The goals of the group have been broken down into 3 groups:
I Prevention: To provide early outreach/education on the a community wide basis
Started using a brochure produced by the Wisconsin bankers association with the addition of an insert about Dane county specific resources. These materials were distributed at the financial education center, Dane county housing authority, danee county extension office and various community sites. Also the prevention workshop started participating in Foreclosure work shops in March of this year.
II. Intervention: Effective assistance to individual homeowners at imminent risk of default, in default or in foreclosure.
The goals are to:
Increase homeowner‘s awareness of options for mortgage help
Help homeowners to determine their next steps
Prepare homeowners for their next steps by encouraging goal setting and budgeting
The next workshop is scheduled for June 21st and June 28th. A Spanish language work shop is scheduled for June 5, 2010.
A big improvement done this year; all homeowners sued for foreclosure have received a notice explaining the right to request mediation with the application form attached.
Stabilization: A thoughtful approach to strengthening neighborhoods impacted by foreclosure
Is in the beginning stages and is starting to collect information and map it to identify the neighborhoods and or communities that have a concentration of foreclosures.
Keith Manson
First Weber Group
Certified Distressed Property Expert
Metro Milwaukee
http://www.milwaukeebailout.com
Visit the publisher’s website: http://www.milwaukeebailout.com