No Place Like Home: Philadelphia’s Approach
to Foreclosure Prevention
On September 21, 2011, RHLS released its No Place Like Home report which for the first time described the various components in Philadelphia’s approach to foreclosure prevention in one place. The report looked at how the various elements work together and identify ways that the approach could be improved.
The report is available as a PDF. Slides and video from the event are now available at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia website.
The report includes eight priority recommendations:
- Offer alternative paths to assistance for homeowners who face foreclosure for reasons other than defective or excessive loan terms.
- Provide housing counselors with training, certification, and performance standards to ensure quality, consistent service.
- Take action to ensure that all housing counselors apply to state HEMAP and federal EHLP for eligible homeowners. [Learn about efforts to help refund HEMAP]
- Improve coordination between state- and city-funded housing counselors so all can participate in relevant programs.
- Create and utilize referral and intake criteria for cases that would most benefit from legal representation.
- Improve data collection and provide accurate, up-to-date information to the city, homeowners, and foreclosure-prevention professionals.
- Take action to encourage the Sheriff’s Office to cooperate with the courts’ and city’s efforts to prevent foreclosure.
- Implement proposed reforms and fund foreclosure prevention to avoid millions of dollars in cost to the city.