Eastside residents facing the possibility of foreclosure or struggling with mortgage payments will find help and advice at a Thursday, March 25, workshop, 1-7:30 p.m. at Bellevue’s Hyatt Regency, 900 Bellevue Way NE.
At the free workshop, borrowers can meet face-to-face with housing counselors from local non-profit agencies certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Homeowners will also have a chance to meet with representatives of banks and lenders. The purpose is to give homeowners a clear view of all realistic options, with enough information to make sound financial decisions.
The workshop also will feature opportunities to attend group presentations by experts in the mortgage and housing field, and a chance to explore materials and services offered by various agencies – both local and national.
Participants who seek individual meetings with lenders and/or counselors should bring documentation reflecting household income and expenses (paychecks and documents showing other income, monthly bills, debts, and account balances).
Chinese, Russian and Spanish interpreters will be available for individual counseling sessions.
A second event on Friday, March 26, is for homeowners with loan modifications already in progress. Scheduled for 1-7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency, this event is for current clients to submit missing documents and/or get additional information and assistance.
Both events are sponsored by the national organizations NeighborWorks America, Making Home Affordable and Hope Now, in partnership with local mortgage counseling firms, the City of Bellevue, and ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing).
For the past several months, the city of Bellevue and ARCH have been exploring opportunities to help address the problems of local residents facing possible foreclosure and other recession-related problems. The ARCH web site, here provides extensive information on foreclosure and housing issues.
For more information about the workshops, or about Bellevue recession relief activities, contact Julie Ellenhorn (425-452-5372) or Cheryl Kuhn (425-452-4089) in the city’s Neighborhood Outreach office.
Those interested in volunteering at the workshop – registering participants, directing clients to the right locations, etc. – can call one the above numbers.
