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Latest News For You

For Agency Professionals

Latest News For You | For Agency Professionals

Keeping a Roof Over Your Head

Losing your job has no doubt changed your ability to manage your housing costs. If you are now among the many thousands of New Jersey residents whom have lost their unemployment benefits, the challenge to make ends meet has become increasingly difficult. Whether you are trying to handle a monthly mortgage payment or monthly rent, these can't be easy times for you or your family.

The New Jersey HomeKeeper Program may help. The HomeKeeper Program will provide financial assistance to New Jersey homeowners who are threatened with the loss of their homes because of their inability to make mortgage payments due exclusively to the loss of employment or substantial underemployment. Assistance comes in the form of a 0% interest rate, deferred-payment second mortgage loan. Eligible homeowners may receive up to $48,000 for a 24 month period.

If you are facing foreclosure, there are resources available that will help you find a solution. Every day people who work in various agencies and organizations throughout the state talk with folks in your situation. Here is some basic information to get you started; important fact sheets to give you the details you need to help yourself; web links and phone numbers so that you can learn more about state and local programs and resources.

Foreclosure Prevention Counseling

• Online and telephone counseling is available through the Homeownership Preservation Foundation. This organization is dedicated to helping homeowners avoid foreclosure. Their toll-free hotline is staffed with trained counselors and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach them by phone at 888.995.HOPE (888-995-4673).
• Free or low cost advice from housing counseling agencies that have been sponsored through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is available in our state. Here is a list of HUD Approved Counselors.

Mortgage Refinancing Options

• For increased access to credit and loan counseling and temporary assistance if you are in immediate danger of foreclosure call NJ HOPE. They have information on available mortgage products and funding too. NJ HOPE is a voluntary public/private alliance of government agencies, non-profit organizations, and financial institutions, committed to home ownership preservation. You can reach them at 888-995 HOPE or visit the NJ HOPE website to learn more.
• Mortgage refinance programs are available through the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) This national non-profit community advocacy and housing services organization offers free counseling and will take you through the refinancing process. You can learn more and start the online application by clicking here.
• Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)- provides temporary financial assistance, up to $20,000, to income-eligible homeowners who wish to remain in their homes but are in imminent danger of foreclosure due to short-term financial problems beyond their control. Learn more about MAP.
• If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments, HOPE for Homeowners (H4H) may be able to help you,by refinancing your loan into a new 30-year or 40-year fixed-rate loan with lower payments. To find out if you are eligible, you must call your lender and inquire with them. More information on this program is available here or by calling 800-CALL-FHA (800-225-5342).

In Search of Affordable Housing

New Jersey Housing Resource Center provides an online tool for finding and listing affordable housing, helping people with disabilities find housing options and obtaining housing information and links. It's FREE, anonymous and continuously updated. Learn More.

Social Service for the Homeless

The Social Service for the Homeless (SSH) program provides assistance to New Jersey residents who are at risk of homelessness, but are ineligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families welfare, General Assistance welfare or Supplemental Security Income. If you are eligible for this program, SSH may pay for emergency food or shelter for a limited time and may also provide money for rent, mortgage, utility and security deposit assistance.

In response to the economic distress that many in our state are suffering from, eligibility guidelines have been changed to include those with higher incomes (a family of four with a monthly income of not more than $6,183 is eligible for service) and the length of time for services has been extended to 4 months. Local assistance is available 24 hours a day. Find your area's hotline number.

Learn more about SSH.

Assistance Programs for Homeowners

When Homes are in Need of Repair
If your home is in need of repair, you may be eligible for help through the Refinance Rehabilitation Program. This program was created to assist current home owners by refinancing the existing mortgage. A portion of the refinancing must be used for rehabilitation of the house. Learn more.

Mortgage Assistance for Military Personnel
Mortgage payment relief and protection from foreclosure is provided to active military personnel and reservists through the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). To be eligible for this program you must have had mortgage commitments before enlisting or being called to active duty. Reservists, guardsmen and other eligible servicemembers should contact their lenders and other creditors and provide documentation that they have been called to active duty and are eligible for certain relief under the SCRA. To learn more about this program you can call 800-CALL-FHA (225-5342) or read answers to commonly asked questions here.

Borrower Assistance Programs Offered Through Banks
As part of the NJ HOPE initiative, banks may offer a variety of borrower assistance programs such as mortgage refinance loans, closing cost assistance, waiving of private mortgage insurance requirements and credit counseling

Bank of America
Current Bank Customers:
1ST Mortgages:  1-800-846-2222
Home Equity or Lines of Credit:  1-800-451-6362

Non-Customers of Bank of America:
1-800-861-5550

Citigroup
For Nonprofit Homeownership Counselors: 
1-866-517-0820 for borrowers with a Citi loan or for whom Citi/CMI is the servicer
1-800-864-3428 for borrowers for whom Citi Residential is the servicer

HSBC Finance
1-800-340-7505

TD Bank
1-800-937-5020

Wachovia
Wachovia Mortgage Corporation: 1-866-642-9405

Homelessness Prevention Program - This program provides limited financial assistance to low and moderate income tenants and homeowners in imminent danger of eviction or foreclosure due to temporary financial problems beyond their control. To learn more, contact the office in your area. Find a listing of local contacts here.

Learn more about the programs and services provided through the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) here.

Services Once the Foreclosure Process Has Begun

Mediation The NJ Judiciary Foreclosure Mediation Program was created to assist homeowners in foreclosure actions. They will provide mediators to help homeowners and lenders negotiate with one another and try to work out agreements to avoid foreclosure. The program will also provide lawyers to income-eligible homeowners. For more information, go to http://www.nj.gov/foreclosuremediation/index.html or call 888-989-5277 between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM Monday through Friday.

Legal Aid By dialing a toll-free number, 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529), callers can access a statewide legal hotline which provides legal information, advice and referral to low-income residents of New Jersey with civil legal problems (criminal cases are referred). This service is provided at no charge but applicants must be financially eligible to qualify. The hotline handles all cases over the telephone and does not provide ongoing legal representation. The hotline is open from Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You may also be able to find answers to your legal problems on their self-help Web site, www.lsnjlaw.org.

Protection for Renters When Landlords Face Foreclosure

Residential tenants in New Jersey cannot be evicted solely because the property where they live is in foreclosure or has been foreclosed. The law protects tenants against eviction and provides some protection from utilities being shut-off. To learn more, call the New Jersey Tenants’ Organization at 201-342-3775 or the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate, Office of Citizen Relations at 609-826-5070. Read the Toolkit for Tenants Living in Foreclosed Properties.

The New Jersey Tenants Organization (NJTO) is the oldest, largest statewide tenant membership organization in the United States. To learn more you may contact them at NJTO, 389 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601; Telephone: 201-342-3775; Fax: 201-342-3776; E-mail: info@njto.org; or vist their Web site.

Lawyer Referral Services

Following is a listing of county bar associations that offer lawyer referral services. Locate your county of residence and contact the appropriate service. Do not contact referral services that are outside of your local county.

If You Are Homeless
There are shelters located in every county in our state. Call 2-1-1 to find out more about your local resources.

Pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 when you need help.
You are encouraged to dial “2-1-1” 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need help in understanding and finding available assistance services.  Language translation and TTY services are offered to any caller.  You can also search the database of services in your local community or Chat Live with an experienced community resource specialist. 2-1-1 will help identify with you the best local resources to fit your individual needs during times of financial distress or for life’s everyday situations.

If you know of additional resources that would be appropriate to include, please let us know by contacting us via e-mail at info@nj211.org.

Research Sources Include:
http://www.fhainfo.com/HopeforHomeowners.htm
http://www.state.nj.us/dobi/njhope/
http://www.njhousing.gov/
http://www.state.nj.us/dca/
http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm
https://www.naca.com/index_main.jsp
http://www.nj.gov/foreclosuremediation/index.html
http://www.lsnjlaw.org/
http://njto.org/

Page last modified 12.1.11