LSS Foreclosure Prevention
Expert Honored for Outcomes Study
Over the past five years, more
than 6,200 Minnesotans who have been delinquent in paying their mortgage
payments have sought foreclosure prevention assistance from Lutheran
Social Service. In Minnesota, Lutheran Social Service is the largest
provider of the foreclosure prevention assistance, working in 60 Minnesota
counties to help individuals and families facing foreclosure to stay in
their homes and develop skills that lead to financial stability. How
successful is this program?
A new survey, developed by Dan Williams, a foreclosure prevention expert
for Lutheran Social Service, was designed and implemented to study
outcomes of those at high-risk who had participated in the organization’s
foreclosure prevention program from 1999 to 2005. Twenty seven percent of
those who had received assistance during this period responded to the
survey. Results showed that 63% of survey respondents were still living in
their homes, and 58% said that they were more stable financially since
they had received help through Lutheran Social Service.
“These results demonstrate the
very positive impact that Dan and his team at Lutheran Social Service are
having on families throughout Minnesota,” said Dana Snell, program
director with the Minnesota Home Ownership Center that honored Williams
with the 2006 Award of Excellence for his innovative work in foreclosure
prevention.
“It’s gratifying to know that
what our organization is doing is working,” Williams said. “That a
majority of survey respondents did not lose their homes or find themselves
in trouble again over this time frame is a strong indicator that our
service is successful and making a significant difference in people’s
lives.”
Williams added that 76 percent
of those surveyed said that they wished they had pursued more financial
counseling, especially in areas of budgeting and cash flow management.
“Problems come up in life and the more skills you have to address them,
the greater success you’ll have,” he said.
Lutheran Social Service’s Foreclosure Prevention Assistance Program is
sponsored by a partnership of organizations, including the Minnesota Home
Ownership Center, Minnesota Housing, Family Housing Fund and the Greater
Minnesota Housing Fund. Services are comprehensive and include foreclosure
prevention counseling, pre-purchase and post-purchase housing counseling,
and no-interest foreclosure prevention loans.
Lutheran Social Service is
also a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and offers
confidential debt management services, free budget counseling, credit
report reviews, bankruptcy and reverse mortgage counseling via in-office
appointments, phone counseling or the Internet. Offices are located in
Brainerd, Duluth, Eveleth, Hopkins, Mankato, Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Willmar, Superior (Wisconsin) and at the University of Minnesota in
Minneapolis.
For more information or to arrange an appointment, call toll-free at
1-888-577-2227 or visit
www.lssmn.org/debt
