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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

“Perfect Storm” Threatens to Sink NY Foreclosure Fighters

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Monday, January 31, 2011   

ALBANY, N.Y. - New Yorkers fighting foreclosure are facing a "perfect storm" as a state budget crunch could wipe out free foreclosure counseling and assistance just as the recession threatens more mortgage-holders' ability to stay above water.

Hilary Lamishaw of Troy, who helps coordinate the counseling services statewide, points to a recent national survey of their effectiveness.

"In general, it says that when homeowners are counseled they have almost 70 percent better odds of curing their foreclosure than if they hadn't received housing counseling."

Lamishaw says 43,000 New Yorkers have been counseled in 2 1/2 years. The free assistance would dry up by December if funding isn't maintained by Gov. Andrew Cuomo or the Legislature, which are trying to close a state budget gap estimated to be from $9 billion to $10 billion.

Julie Jalowiec, who helps Utica homeowners try to stave off foreclosure, hopes the free assistance programs will receive most if not all of the funding they need because their success rate is more than respectable.

"I think we're saving a lot of homes. I think the reason why New York is faring better than other states is because of our success in getting loan modifications through. So there's a lot of factors there, but we don't see a whole lot of our customers that we can't save."

Lamishaw says continued funding is needed to train counselors as well as expand capacity, because the foreclosure crisis could worsen.

"It's this perfect storm of people who are a victim of the economic recession and having more and more difficulty paying their mortgages at the same time that we're afraid that the state's commitment to help these people through the Foreclosure Assistance Program is going to be coming to an end."

Lamishaw and Jaloviec say "free" is the key word: assistance and counseling is available at no charge. Jalowiec adds that if you're paying for foreclosure counseling, chances are you're being conned.

"We've had several homeowners come in who were scammed by those companies who said 'pay me up front and I'll negotiate and modify your loan for you,' and then do nothing for you in the long run."


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