Homeownership Preservation Foundation Reports Call Volume for September from Homeowners Facing Foreclosure
Homeowner Calls To 1-888-995-HOPE™
Up 7.4% in Q3
October 26, 2010, Washington , DC – The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) , which administers the Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline 1-888-995-HOPE to provide comprehensive financial education and foreclosure prevention counseling, received 145,993 calls in September from distressed homeowners, a three percent increase from the previous month. Call volume to the hotline increased 7.4 percent in the third quarter from the previous quarter. The states with the largest call volumes in September were California , Florida , New York , Texas and Georgia .
“Homeowners who are dealing with foreclosure or the potential of foreclosure need an independent, neutral resource who can help them navigate their financial challenges,” said Colleen Hernandez, CEO of the Homeownership Preservation Foundation . “The Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline’s dedicated team has already helped more than four million homeowners with the myriad of issues surrounding foreclosure, including foreclosure avoidance, comprehensive financial education and reporting foreclosure scams.”
“In the past two quarters, we’ve seen an increase in call volume possibly due to the actions servicers have taken through letter campaigns to suggest that homeowners call our hotline. New Public Service Announcements designed by the U.S. Treasury and Fannie Mae featuring real homeowners who have benefited from the Making Home Affordable program, probably increased volume,” said Hernandez. You can see this campaign by visiting http://www.995hope.org/your-stories/
Callers to the Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline, staffed by over 600 HUD-approved housing counselors, have the option to participate in HPF’s five-step process, geared to help them deal with the reality of their financial situation and move toward sustainable homeownership, and if possible, to provide an opportunity to work with their servicer to avoid foreclosure. The five steps are:
- A counselor will listen to the caller and in context of the call, elicit as much information as possible to aid in resolution
- A counselor will review the caller’s finances
- The caller and counselor will explore options for getting help with avoiding foreclosure
- A counselor will present the caller with a plan for action
- A counselor may connect the caller with their servicer, depending upon the caller’s unique situation
Highlights of September call data to 1-888-995-HOPE include the following:
- Total calls in September 2010: 145,993
- Total calls year to date: 1,202,517
Largest percentage increase in calls from August to September 2010
- North Dakota 76.2%
- Vermont 45.3%
- South Dakota 33.0%
- Idaho 30.6%
- Kentucky 20.7%
Largest percentage decrease in calls from August to September 2010:
- Colorado -9.0%
- Oregon -8.8%
- North Carolina -8.4%
- South Carolina -7.4%
- Montana -3.4%
Greatest total call volume in September 2010
- California 24,722
- Florida 13,970
- New York 8,800
- Texas 7,648
- Georgia 6,970
Highlights of third quarter call data to 1-888-995-HOPE include the following:
- Total calls in Q3 2010: 412,353
Largest percentage increase in calls from Q2 to Q3:
- South Dakota 51.1%
- New York 45.9%
- Mississippi 30.8%
- Georgia 27.8%
- South Carolina 26.7%
Greatest total call volume in Q3:
- California 71,744
- Florida 39,183
- New York 24,538
- Texas 21,532
- Georgia 20,804
For charts of the September and third quarter call volume data, please contact Diane Zyats at dzyats@995hope.org or call 202-480-2775.
888-995-HOPE National Activity – Calls by State – 2010
For additional resources, including informational videos about ways to avoid foreclosure and tip sheets for prioritizing mortgage obligations, saving money, and how to avoid foreclosure scams, visit http://www.995hope.org/help-for-homeowners/ .
About the Homeownership Preservation Foundation
The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) is an independent national nonprofit dedicated to helping distressed homeowners navigate financial challenges and avoid mortgage foreclosure. HPF guides consumers onto the path of sustainable homeownership and develops innovative solutions to preserve and expand homeownership. Through its Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline, 888-995-HOPE™, HPF provides comprehensive education and foreclosure prevention counseling for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, in over 170 languages. Since 2007, HPF has served over four million distressed homeowners, an average of 5,500 persons each business day, who depend upon HPF as a trusted, neutral source of information and assistance. For more information about the Homeownership Preservation Foundation or the Homeowner’s HOPE™ Hotline, please visit www.995hope.org
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Contact:
Diane Helyne Zyats, Homeownership Preservation Foundation
dzyats@995hope.org 202-480-2775
