Ellison Promotes Foreclosure Prevention with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency

Press Release

Congressman Keith Ellison (MN-05) and Minnesota Housing Commissioner Mary Tingerthal met today with consumer protection advocates about the challenges facing homeowners during the ongoing foreclosure crisis. Governor Mark Dayton recently appointed Tingerthal to serve as Commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.

Ellison and Tingerthal asked foreclosure prevention advocates about the problems homeowners have getting mortgage modifications from servicers and bank. A coalition of state Attorneys General recently announced that they will soon begin settlement conversations with mortgage servicers to improve the way servicers interact with homeowners at risk of foreclosure. However, at this point, many homeowners still have problems working with mortgage servicers to stay in their home.

"The foreclosure crisis has been going on for over three years, and we all know that more homeowners are at risk of losing their homes," said Congressman Ellison. "Republicans in Washington want to let big banks foreclose on working families, but I'm committed to holding servicers and banks accountable so more homeowners can stay in their homes."

"We are fortunate to have one of the best foreclosure prevention counseling networks in the country. It is critical that we provide them with the most effective tools available to keep Minnesota families in their homes," said Mary Tingerthal, Commissioner of Minnesota Housing.

Today's meeting was part of Congressman Ellison's Consumer Protection Roundtable series, which started in 2007.

Homeowners in jeopardy of losing their homes to foreclosure should contact the Minnesota Home Ownership Center to find a certified, non-profit counselor at www.hocmn.org.

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