510 11th Street, NW  Roanoke, VA 24017

Ph: (540) 777-2777     Fax: (540) 777-2778

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Andrea Hager, (BRHDC) (540) 777-2777, ext. 226

Counseling program offers new hope to home owners in trouble

Foreclosure Prevention Counseling to help 75 families save their homes

Roanoke area residents in danger of losing their homes now have a counselor in their corner through the Foreclosure Prevention Counseling program.

The new program provides private, professional counseling services for home owners that are behind on their mortgage payments or facing a looming foreclosure.

“Nobody wins in a foreclosure.  The home owner loses, the bank loses, and the community loses,” said Alvin Nash, City of Roanoke Council Member and President of Blue Ridge Housing Development Corporation.

“Everybody in the housing business is stepping up to fight the outbreak of foreclosures.  We saw a chance to help and we took it.”

Housing counseling has been offered by area agencies for years.  However, the national foreclosure crisis has affected smaller communities such as Roanoke faster than agencies can respond to the need.  Government grants and new legislation are helping nonprofit agencies such as Blue Ridge Housing rise to the challenge. 

“Home owners must do their part by facing their financial problems instead of hoping they’ll go away,” said Andrea Hager, Director of Home Ownership and Vice President of Operations, Blue Ridge Housing.  “Banks must do their part by working with home owners in trouble.  We can do ours by helping them work together.” 

The Foreclosure Prevention Program is an expansion of Blue Ridge Housing’s myriad housing services made possible through a $15,000 grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

Blue Ridge Housing has helped improve neighborhoods by increasing home ownership in the Roanoke Valley since 1991.  The corporation was also involved in the recent Gainsboro and Southeast neighborhood revitalization projects through the City of Roanoke.

“Every home we can save from foreclosure is one less vacant house blighting the neighborhood,” said Alvin Nash. “We hope to help at least seventy-five home owners stay home owners.”

Counseling services are offered at no cost to anyone who is in danger of foreclosure in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas.  Services are offered in the Blue Ridge Housing office building at 510 11th Street, NW Roanoke City.  Interested residents can call (540) 777-2777 or stop by for more information.