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Visit Tales from the Trenches, the national blog for Facing the Mortgage Crisis.
Facing the Mortgage Crisis is part of CPB’s Public Service Media Economic Response Initiative.In-Depth Reports and Programs
Below are in-depth reports and programs, local and national, that have aired on WCPN and WVIZ about the mortgage crisis.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Judge Slaps Unscrupulous Property Investors With Multi-Million-Dollar Fines
A Cleveland judge has fined two South Carolina real estate companies more than 13 million dollars for their continued failure maintain homes they bought for a small fraction of their former value. ideastream®’s Dan Bobkoff reports.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Mortgage Fraud Crackdown Includes Many Local Cases
In Washington DC today, the Justice Department announced that it is investigating more than 3,000 cases of mortgage fraud across the country. That's more than double the number of cases investigators were handling just two years ago. Here in Northeast Ohio, the region's top law enforcement officials came out this afternoon to highlight what they've been doing here. ideastream's Mhari Saito spoke with ideastream®'s Eric Wellman.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Mortgage Fraud Crackdown Includes Many Local Cases
Top law enforcement officials from around the state were in Cleveland today (yesterday) to announce their participation in a nationwide crackdown on mortgage fraud. ideastream®'s Mhari Saito reports.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Rokakis: Foreclosure Crisis Has Gotten Worse
Weekend Edition visited Cleveland in May of 2008 to report on the foreclosure crisis. At that time, foreclosures and abandoned homes were, for the most part, a result of predatory lending. Now, two years later, host Scott Simon returns to find that, according to Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, things have only gotten worse. Councilman Tony Brancatelli, who represents Cleveland's Slavic Village, says he has reason to be optimistic, however, and shows us around some of the revitalized areas of his neighborhood.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Rokakis: Foreclosure Crisis Has Gotten Worse
Weekend Edition visited Cleveland in May of 2008 to report on the foreclosure crisis. At that time, foreclosures and abandoned homes were, for the most part, a result of predatory lending. Now, two years later, host Scott Simon returns to find that, according to Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, things have only gotten worse. Councilman Tony Brancatelli, who represents Cleveland's Slavic Village, says he has reason to be optimistic, however, and shows us around some of the revitalized areas of his neighborhood.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Neighborhood Groups Sound Alarm On Mortgage Scammers
Counselors from affordable housing non-profits canvassed neighborhoods around the state Wednesday as part of a national campaign to warn homeowners about mortgage scammers.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Cleveland Summit Addresses Future Of Home Financing
A panel of housing experts from around the country are in Cleveland this week to share ideas on how to shape government policy to keep the mortgage crisis from re-occuring. Ideastream's Bill Rice sat in on the opening sessions.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Some Positive Feedback On Ohio’s “Hardest Hit” Foreclosure Plan
Ohio's plan to spend $170 M million federal dollars to help stem foreclosures is getting positive reviews from people on the front lines of the housing crisis. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Home Prices Drop Nationally, Increase In Cleveland
Home prices in the Cleveland area rose from February to March according to a much-watched index, but the expiration of a federal home-buyer's tax credit may tamp down any momentum in the coming months. ideastream's Bill Rice reports.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Foreclosure Problem Still Not Improving, According To New Figures
It's been exactly one year since the Ohio House of Representatives approved a plan for a six month moratorium on home foreclosures.....but the state senate has ignored the plan and has yet to approve any alternative. Meanwhile, some new numbers indicate Ohio's foreclosure problem is getting worse. Statehouse correspondent Bill Cohen reports.
Take Action
United Way 211
United Way's 211/First Call For Help is a free and confidential information service ready to direct you to the health and human services you need in Cuyahoga, Geauga and Medina Counties.
Just dial 2-1-1. Professional staff are available to help you 24 hours a day, every day.
Save the Dream
The American dream of home ownership is disappearing during these times of crisis. In Ohio, rising unemployment, loss of business, and a bleak economic outlook also threaten that dream.
Help is available. Save the Dream provides information and highlights programs that Ohioians can use to help save the dream of owning a home.
Upcoming Events
ESOP Partners with Area Suburbs to Help Homeowners
Two additional suburbs will hold local intake sessions, in partnership with ESOP (Empowering & Strengthening Ohio’s People), to provide FREE foreclosure prevention counseling to area homeowners. This initiative builds on ESOP’s track record of making its highly successful foreclosure counseling practices more readily available in Cuyahoga County suburbs. ESOP already provides intakes in South Euclid and Lakewood.
Starting Feb. 4, 2010, trained counselors from ESOP will also set up shop once a week in Bedford Heights and Garfield Heights. Please see below for more detailed information on the time and location of these new intake sessions. Homeowners do not have to be city residents but MUST call or email ESOP to set up an appointment.
Bedford Heights, Every Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Jimmy Dimora Community Center, 5615 Perkins Road, Bedford Heights, OH 44146
Garfield Heights, Every Thursday at 1 p.m.
Word of Righteousness Family Life Center, 13455 Dressler Avenue, Garfield Heights, Ohio 44125
To make an appointment or for more information, please call ESOP at 216-361-0718 or email .
ABOUT ESOP:
ESOP is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency. ESOP’s success stems from partnerships with various lenders and servicers, allowing for easy negotiation of loan modifications. ESOP has been nationally and internationally recognized for its campaigns against predatory lenders and for its success obtaining mortgage resolutions that keep families in their homes.
Funding
Funding for the coverage of economy and jobs topics comes from The Cleveland Foundation; The George Gund Foundation; The Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation; The Nord Family Foundation; The Bruening Foundation; The Community Foundation for Lorain County; and The Charter One Foundation.
