Many homeowners in my congressional district are worried about paying their mortgages or are facing foreclosure. The first line of defense that Congress has provided is free foreclosure prevention counseling. I recommend that concerned homeowners first call one of the counseling hotlines and then, if necessary, consult one of the free, HUD-approved, free counseling services serving Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.

DO NOT pay anyone up front who promises to help you fix your mortgag eproblem. These are scammers!

In cases in which a counselor cannot help or in which you have gone directly to your lender but have not had success, I may be able to help. Please call my district office at (301) 424-3501. Before I can contact your lender, the Privacy Act of 1974 requires that you give me your written authorization. To do this, please complete the Privacy Release Form, along with your loan number, the name of your lender and a brief description of your difficulty. Please return it to me at the following address:

51 Monroe Street, Suite 507
Rockville, MD 20850

FAX: (301) 424-5992

• Housing Counseling
• Housing Scams, Predatory Loans, Credit Agency Harassment
• Foreclosure Prevention Websites

Housing Counseling:

1-877-462-7555 --Hotline for State of Maryland’s HUD-approved housing counselors. Spanish-speaking counselors are available.

888-995-HOPE (4673) -- National HUD-sponsored hotline identifies housing counselors trained to help individual homeowners develop a plan of action to prevent foreclosure or work with lenders to find a solution. Services are free. Spanish-speaking counselors are available.

Counselors serving Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties: For a list of HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies and their phone numbers, please go to www.mdhope.org.

Housing Scams, Predatory Loans, Credit Agency Harassment:

1-888-784-0136 -- Hotline to report possible mortgage fraud or foreclosure rescue scams. Spanish-speaking homeowners can call the above number or 410-230-6365 or 410-767-0392. These numbers are sponsored by the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR).

Foreclosure Prevention Websites:

www.mdhope.org – State of Maryland’s foreclosure prevention website.   Explains how to prevent foreclosure and describes the State of Maryland’s programs to assist homeowners. Lists foreclosure prevention workshops in Maryland.

www.MakingHomeAffordable.govand www.FinancialStability.gov -Websites sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasury that provide detailed information about the Administration’s Making Home Affordable program.

www.HUD.gov – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website. Provides information on foreclosure prevention and describes Federal Housing Administration (FHA)loans targeted to help homeowners in distress.

www.montgomerycountymd.gov -Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs website. Type “foreclosure prevention” in the search box.

www.995hope.org – Homeownership Preservation Foundation website. Click “How We Can Help,” then “Contact Us” for an On-line Counseling session.

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