Facing the Mortgage Crisis – We’ve Moved

Today, we transitioned our Facing the Mortgage Crisis Web site to a new, more interactive platform. Please visit www.stlmortgagecrisis.org for the same updates and content you’ve become used to finding here:

More “Facing the Mortgage Crisis” Programming from KWMU

On Friday KWMU continued its “Facing the Mortgage Crisis” programming.  Repps Hudson examines several common misconceptions homeowners have when it comes to mortgage payments and foreclosure.  He also reports on how financial counselors are adapting to the increase in foreclosures since 2008. 

The report also includes one woman’s experience with predatory lenders and how she managed to save her home from foreclosure.  You can listen to the entire segment online HERE.  Don’t forget to stay tuned to KWMU-90.7 FM for more from this ongoing series.

KWMU is Facing the Mortgage Crisis

KWMU recently continued its “Facing the Mortgage Crisis” series with a report from Repps Hudson.  Hudson interviewed area experts in order to examine the extent of the mortgage crisis in St. Louis.  Some of the findings may sound familiar, but his report also includes surprising foreclosure trends in several local communities.

You can listen to the entire report online HERE.  Don’t forget to stay tuned to KWMU for more reports in this ongoing series.

Local Communities Struggle With Empty Houses

The Suburban Journals recently followed a Collinsville community service officer as she made her rounds citing houses desperately in need of maintenance.  Community service officers monitor neglected homes and unkept yards.  Since the mortgage crisis and the subsequent rise in foreclosures, their job has gotten a lot more difficult.  Communities all over Missouri are struggling with how to handle abandoned and foreclosed homes. 

To read more about what Collinsville and other local communities are doing about empty homes, CLICK HERE. 

In tough times, it’s especially important to help our neighbors.  If there are vacant or abandoned properties in your neighborhood, do your part to keep your neighborhood safe—you can rake leaves, mow the lawn, or just pick up trash to keep homes clean. 

For volunteer opportunities in your area, call United Way’s 2-1-1 referral service at (800) 427-4626.

Do you have stories to share about volunteering in your neighborhood?  Leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you.

Finding Your Way Out of a Scam: Dawn Walters Describes Her Experience

Facing foreclosure last year, Dawn sought help and found a company that was “very willing” to “help”.  As months went by, Dawn realized that the company was taking advantage of her. She paid the company large up-front and monthly fees without results.

Dawn searched for help again and found Beyond Housing.  Their free support and counseling allowed her to keep her home.  Watch Dawn talk about the free help she found at Beyond Housing in the video below.

Legitimate housing counseling agencies won’t contact you or send advertisements. You should be wary of any company that charges for housing counseling and/or seeks you out.

If you or someone you know is facing foreclosure, contact a HUD-certified housing counseling agency to seek help.  To find one, call United Way’s 2-1-1 referral service at (800) 427-4626

New Bill Proposes to Fight Vacant Properties

The city of St. Louis is leading the country in the number of empty houses per person. Recently, this number has grown even more due to the increase in foreclosures brought on by the mortgage crisis.  Empty homes lead to crime and can ruin entire neighborhoods.  The city of St. Louis is now working to fight this growing problem. 

Sunday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on a bill presented to the city’s Board of Aldermen.  The bill requires that owners of vacant buildings register those buildings and pay a fee each year the property remains empty.  To read the entire article about the proposed registry, CLICK HERE.

You can do your part to be a good neighbor.  Actions as simple as raking leaves or picking up trash around vacant properties can help keep your neighborhood safe.  Watch the Living St. Louis segment below to learn how the Spanish Lake community is working together to address the problem of abandoned homes in the neighborhood.  To learn how you can volunteer, call United Way’s 2-1-1 Referral Service at (800) 427-4626—they’ll help connect you with trusted resources.

Living St. Louis Spotlight on Credit Counseling

KETC’s Living St. Louis program recently featured a segment on credit counseling.  Producer Ruth Ezell follows the story of Laurie Ferrer and her family.  Like many other Americans, Laurie and her husband became dependent on their credit cards.  The Ferrer family was no longer able to pay the minimum balances on all their cards and their interest rates kept getting higher; eventually their debt became too much to handle.

But Laurie and her family sought help, and they found a solution to their debt problems at ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions (formerly known as ClearPoint Financial Solutions).  ClearPoint’s counseling services have already helped the Ferrer’s decrease their debt by 25% and they expect to be debt-free in three years.

You can watch the entire Living St. Louis segment HERE, or by watching the video below. 

If you or someone you know need credit counseling, call United Way’s 2-1-1 Referral Service at (800) 427-4626—they’ll help connect you with trusted resources.  You can also contact one of our partners, ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions, for help with credit card debt.

Foreclosures Increase for Prime Borrowers

Since the beginning of the mortgage crisis, many experts have blamed the explosion in foreclosures on risky sub-prime loans.  But USA Today reported recently that the rate of foreclosure for prime borrowers has been increasing, mainly because of rising unemployment rates.  To read the rest of the article, CLICK HERE.

If you or someone you know is facing foreclosure, contact a HUD-certified housing counseling agency to seek help.  To find one, call United Way’s 2-1-1 Referral Service at (800) 427-4626.

The Salvation Army

In April 2009, the Salvation Army hosted a free Family & Crisis Resource Fair. The event was in response to the many people who are facing unemployment, reduced hours, foreclosure, or other financial troubles. People were able to visit booths to get information and resources about different financial issues, as well as job hunting.

The Salvation Army is committed to providing assistance to those in need. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please contact the Salvation Army, Midland Division.

Below is a video of Major Lonneal Richardson, Divisional Commander of the Salvation Army’s Midland Division. In this clip, Major Richardson gives some suggestions for people who may be facing unemployment. To watch more videos from the fair, CLICK HERE.

Tune in to KWMU tonight—6/2/09

Tonight, as part of its Facing the Mortgage Crisis programming, KWMU will air the last of four documentaries from American RadioWorks.  The four documentaries help explain the current economic crisis we’re facing.

You can listen to “Bridge to Somewhere,” hosted by Steven Smith, tonight from 8-9 p.m. on KWMU-90.7 FM.

To learn more about tonight’s program and more of KWMU’s Facing the Mortgage Crisis programs CLICK HERE. Don’t forget to tune in to 90.7 FM to listen!