KCMO Homeownership Success Event

Friday, April 17, 2009

Contact:

Elma Warrick, 816.822.7241

Anita K. Parran, 816.392.5980

Foreclosure Intervention and Homebuying Success Assistance Scheduled for KCMO Council District 3

HomeFree-USA Offers Assistance to Current and Future Home Owners

KANSAS CITY, MO – April 25, 2009 is the kick-off of the HomeFree-USA “Homeownership Success: Now and Forever” initiative supported by the Kansas City, MO Human Relations Department, Civil Rights Division. Through October 2009, HomeFree-USA Kansas City will hold two foreclosure intervention and home buying success assistance events in each Kansas City, MO Council Districts designed to help homeowners in jeopardy of losing their homes and those seeking to purchase a home.

The first free home foreclosure intervention will be held in Council District 3 at the Robert J. Mohart Multi-purpose FOCUS Center (Linwood Multi-Purpose Center), 3200 Wayne (corner of Wayne and Linwood Blvd.) from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Trained professional counselors will be on hand to begin the process of modifying the homeowner’s mortgage payment and help prevent foreclosure. Individuals interested in purchasing a home will be provided information to begin the process of successfully securing and keeping a home.

“The purpose of these events is to help current homeowners in distress by assisting in securing home mortgage modification for more affordable payments and terms,” said Elma Warrick, executive director of HomeFree–USA Kansas City. “Our home foreclosure intervention services are free of charge except for a $10 fee required to run a credit report.” She added that assistance would also help prevent homeowners from becoming prey to so-called loan modification groups who are charging high fees and delivering little.

HomeFree-USA is HUD approved and funded by Congress to help save the homes of citizens in the area. “Our organization provides extensive consultation with the homeowner who has either stopped making mortgage payments or are currently making payments that they know are unsustainable,” Warrick explained. “We negotiate with the lender and explain each individual situation in clear language.”

HomeFree-USA is a not-for-profit organization that is HUD approved and funded by Congress. The organization enjoys an industry-leading success rate, preventing foreclosures in 8 out of 10 cases. HomeFree-USA also has an equally high rate of successful homeowners who have completed the home buying sessions offered.

The “Homeownership Success: Now and Forever” initiative was introduced on March 16 2009 at a press conference held at the HomeFree-USA Kansas City offices. “Foreclosure intervention is a real solution,” Warrick added, “but people have to get to work with us right away.”

For more information contact HomeFree-USA Kansas City at 816.822.7241. Additional information about the April 25, 2009 event and other Council District events can be found on www.HomeFreeUSA.org.

About HomeFree-USA:

Launched in 1995, HomeFree-USA is a minority-founded, nonprofit organization specializing in homeownership counseling and foreclosure intervention. It is one of only 15 HUD-approved organizations currently receiving congressional funding to act as an intermediary between homeowners and lenders to prevent foreclosure. Based in the greater Washington, DC, area with regional offices in Atlanta and Kansas City, HomeFree-USA provides services across the country through its 80+ member affiliate network of faith- and community-based nonprofit partners. The HomeFree-USA network represents approximately 1.5 million homeowners and homebuyers and enjoys a 0% foreclosure rate among families that participate in its pre- and post-purchase counseling activities. To learn more, visit www.homefreeusa.org.