Suncoast Pasco News
A Flash Of Inspiration On Mortgage Woes
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Published: July 12, 2008
NEW PORT RICHEY - Pasco residents on the brink of losing homes have gained an ally to try to steer clear of foreclosures and scam artists.
The Florida Bar and Florida Legal Services have teamed up to create a new service called Florida Attorneys Saving Homes, or FLASH.
Individuals seeking the free legal assistance can call toll-free at 1-866-607-2187.
Some 10,000 volunteer lawyers across the state will aid homeowners who have not entered foreclosure proceedings, according to Greg Giordano, chief legislative assistant to state Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey.
The housing market crisis continues to snare many residents. RealtyTrac, an online service, lists 826 new foreclosure filings in May 2008 in Pasco alone. West Pasco had 389 cases that month.
Homeowners struggling to make mortgage payments were turning to firms claiming they could help rescue people from foreclosures but didn't deliver.
Fasano wrote the legislation to protect consumers from such fraud. It recently became law.
The new law targeting foreclosure fraud gives residents 10 days to rescind a contract with a foreclosure "rescue" firm. In addition, the firms can't demand cash advances or credit car numbers from clients before rendering the mortgage-assistance services.
The FLASH program, which started June 25, seems to dovetail nicely with the new protections against fraud, Giordano remarked.
The FLASH initiative is intended to help residents navigate through the legal process and perhaps avoid going into foreclosure, Giordano said. The free service is part of the Florida Bar's pro bono requirements, under which all attorneys who belong to the statewide legal group must devote a certain number of hours without charge each year to worthy causes.
The volunteer attorneys could have their work cut out for them. As of June, Florida had some 77,000 foreclosure cases, Giordano noted. The state ranked second in the nation for foreclosures, trailing only California.
Residents who have missed a mortgage payment or fear they might miss a payment are eligible for the free FLASH assistance, Giordano explained.
The program does not apply to people who already have entered foreclosure proceedings.
After dialing the hotline phone number, the caller will answer a few initial questions to ensure accurate placement with a pro bono attorney from the Real Estate Probate and Trust Lawyers Division of the Florida Bar.
The FLASH volunteer attorney then will work with the resident and the lender about restructuring the home loan or other options to avoid foreclosure.
"We are all working toward a common goal - stopping foreclosure before it starts," a FloridaProBono.org press release states.
Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.
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