HomeMy WebLinkAboutForeclosure Staff Report
Date: August 18, 2009
To: Board of County Commissioners
From: Erik Kropp, Deputy County Administrator
Re: August 29, 2009 Work Session Item: Foreclosures
At the August 26th Work Session, we have scheduled staff from NeighborImpact and the City of
Bend to provide an update on the high number of foreclosures in Deschutes County and how
agencies are responding. Specifically, the following items will be discussed:
• NeighborImpact’s Housing Center - Laura Fritz will discuss the Housing Center which
provides in-depth counseling to owners who have defaulted on their mortgage and are
facing foreclosure. Work is done with the client and the lender to create a plan of action
to prevent foreclosure and avoid future mortgage defaults.
• Neighborhood Stabilization Program – Jim Long, City of Bend, will discuss a grant
application to HUD for emergency assistance to acquire and redevelop foreclosed bank-
owned properties. To qualify, a census tract must have a foreclosure rating factor. Of the
37 census tracts that meet this requirement in the State of Oregon, 24 are in Central
Oregon. If awarded, this funding would be used as down payment assistance for
homebuyers whose incomes do not exceed 120% of area median income, or as
acquisition/rehabilitation.
• Homelessness Prevention Rapid Rehousing program (HPRP) – Corky Senecal,
NeighborImpact, will discuss the $901,203 in funds Central Oregon will receive from the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus). The allocation will be channeled
through the Oregon State Department of Housing and Community Services (OHCS). As
the region’s Community Action Agency, NeighborImpact will receive the funds for
Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson Counties. The intent of the program is to provide housing
stabilization and temporary financial assistance and/or services to help persons gain
housing stability. The funds are to be used for targeted services for homelessness
prevention and rapid re-housing. These funds are not intended to provide mortgage
assistance or to address issues of chronic homelessness.
c: Dave Kanner, County Administrator