Affordable Housing Alliance 59 Broad St. Eatontown, NJ 07724 Presentation by Stefanie Wynne, MSW Assistant Director of Housing Outreach Services
History The Monmouth Housing Alliance formed in April, 1991. AHA is a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and HUD-certified Our mission is to expand affordable housing resources for residents who need it. We serve residents of Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer counties
Overview Of Services We offer a continuum of services including: housing counseling (pre-purchase, mortgage delinquency, reverse mortgage, rental), education (incl. workshops) and outreach, Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) administrative agent services and income certification, utility assistance, technical assistance and the development and management of affordable housing.
Overview (continued) AHA has been providing mortgage delinquency counseling since 2008 Average 532 NEW foreclosure related calls a month
What Are We Seeing? Demand for foreclosure related services and mortgage delinquency counseling has NOT decreased Majority of our homeowners are middle and upper class A group that is not accustomed to receiving services A group that is very hard to get through to with outreach campaigns Most distressed homeowners (regardless of income or education) do not understand the loss mitigation process or their options
What Are We Seeing Continued. Seems to be 2 categories of homeowners Ones that are proactive and try to remedy the situation before they fall behind Ones that are in denial or procrastinate Loan modification scams are still prevalent Increase in scams with the Spanish speaking population perpetrated by Spanish speaking scammers
What Are We Seeing continued Eight million children affected by foreclosure in the United States Foreclosure/housing insecurity/frequent moves have negative impacts on: Academic success Physical and mental health Social ties Behavior (domestic violence, deterioration of parent child relationship)
What Can You Do? Help spread the word about available assistance and legitimate HUD-certified counseling agencies Invite us to participate at your events/community days Display our brochures or flyers in municipal offices Make this information available on your website Send information/reminders to residents via email blast Make sure school administrators are aware of the McKinney Vento Act and are sensitive to these families situations
Under the McKinney-Vento Act, eligible children and youth have the right to Go to school, no matter where they live or how long they have lived there. Continue attending their school of origin or be enrolled immediately in the local school where they are living, depending on their best interest; Receive transportation to and from the school of origin at no cost to the parent or student. Enroll in the new local school immediately, even if missing records and documents normally required for enrollment, such as a birth certificate, proof of residence, previous school records, or immunization/medical records. Enroll, attend classes, and participate fully in all school activities while the school gathers records. Have access to the same programs and services that are available to all other students, including transportation and supplemental educational services. Receive free school meals.
NJ Housing Resource Center www.njhrc.gov
Resources Cutts, Diana Becker, et al. "US Housing Insecurity and the Health of Very Young Children." American Journal of Public Health 101, no. 8 (August 2011) Isaacs, Julia B. The Ongoing Impact of Foreclosures on Children. Brookings Institute for First Focus. (April 2012) Ross, Lauren M., and Gregory D. Squires. "The Personal Costs of Subprime Lending and the Foreclosure Crisis: A Matter of Trust, Insecurity, and Institutional Deception." Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) 92, no. 1 (March 2011): National Center for Homeless Education. Foreclosure and Its Effects on Education.
Resources Affordable Housing Alliance www.housingall.org Find a local HUD-certified agency at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm Loan Scam Alert Campaign www.loanscamalert.org