Help for Homeowners in Delaware

Gerry Kelly is Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Affairs in the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, and has been working to create programs to help homeowners caught in the subprime mortgage squeeze. As the News Journal reports, he has teamed up with the Delaware Money School and some other agencies to present workshops on avoiding forclosure:

Housing counselors will be available at each event to schedule counseling sessions and help homeowners in crisis decide what steps to take next, said Debbie J. Andrews, a home ownership program coordinator at N-Call Research, a housing counseling agency in Dover.
"They don't necessarily have to be in default," Andrews said. "The earlier that they can
talk to someone, the more options they would have."
Representatives of the Delaware State Housing Authority will explain more about the Delaware Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, which offers low-interest loans of up to $15,000 to homeowners who are facing foreclosure due to unforeseen circumstances.

If you or someone you know is falling behind on mortgage payments, these programs can help:

Wednesday
• 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The Duncan Center, Fifth Floor, 500 W. Loockerman St., Dover
• 6 to 9 p.m. Church of God, 425 E. Stein Highway, Seaford
Thursday
• 7:45 a.m. to noon Center on the Riverfront, Wilmington
• 6 to 9 p.m., Local 313 IBEW, 814 W. Basin Road, New Castle

Contact the Delaware Money School online, or by phone (800-267-5002 or 302-792-1200), to sign up for one of the sessions.