News at Community Legal Aid

Preserving Homes and Promoting Stability: Legal Aid Helps Families Facing Foreclosure

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:31:26 +0000

Check out these two recent articles, printed in The Vindicator, about the continuing foreclosure crisis and Legal Aid's efforts to assist families in saving their homes

"I hope they have a heart" - Legal Aid foreclosure attorneys work to save a disabled Youngstown woman's home.

Facing Foreclosure - As the number of foreclosures in northeast Ohio increases, Legal Aid attorneys strive to provide relief before foreclosures are filed.

Legal Aid Board Member Named 2010 LightHouse Vision's Honoree

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:02:20 +0000

Legal Aid Board Member, Audrey Snowden, was one of four Massillon residents honored by LightHouse Visions for their many contributions to the community. At LightHouse Vision's Sixth Annual Black History Program last week, Ms. Snowden was recognized for her achievements as one of the first black nurses in Massillon. Ms. Snowden currently serves as a Legal Aid Board Member, works as the director of medical nursing services at Massillon Community Hospital, and has been a lifelong member of Shiloh Baptist Church.

To learn more, read the full article in The Independent.

Check Out Legal Aid in The Akron Legal News

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:56:42 +0000

Check out yesterday's article in The Akron Legal News about Legal Aid's recent promotions of Steven McGarrity and Christina Janice and the hire of our new Development Director, Margaret D. Lazzerini.

Importance of Legal Aid is topic for January 13th Program

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:38:26 +0000

The following article featuring Terri Underwood, a Community Legal Aid paralegal, was printed in the Akron Legal News on January 6th, 2010:

Community Legal Aid Services case handler Terri Underwood of Medina will speak on providing legal services to people who cannot afford to retain a lawyer when NALS of Northeast Ohio, the association of legal professionals, holds its monthly education program, Wednesday, January 13th, 2010.

A Norwayne High School and Wayne County JVS graduate, Underwood is a paralegal in the Medina and Akron offices of Community Legal Aid Services, which serves clients in eight Northeast Ohio counties. Specializing in administrative law, she works with clients who need assistance with Welfare and Social Security hearings.

The dinner program will begin at 6 p.m. at Stinger's Restaurant 7429 Wooster Pike (State Route 3), south of Medina.

NALS of Northeast Ohio is a non-profit association of legal secretaries, paralegals, legal assistants, and city and county court employees who line in and/or work in Medina, Summit, Cuyahoga, and surrounding counties. NALS is dedicated to enhancing the professionalism of those who work in the legal support field through education, certification skills, and networking. Prospective members are welcome to attend as guests. Those interested in attending should send an email to Nancy J.Suvak, PP, PLS, at nancysuvak@zoominternet.net or by phone at (330) 725-6082 by Tuesday January 12th, 2010.

To view a pdf of the original article, click here.

Legal Services Corporation Awards Community Legal Aid Techonology Initiative Grant

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:51:39 +0000

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) recently awarded $3.5 million in techonolgy grants to LSC-funded programs, including an award to Community Legal Aid. LSC awarded Community Legal Aid a Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) to develop the Next Generation Legal Services Desktop (NGLSD) for legal services advocates throughout the United States.

The NGLSD project will use the iGoogle platform to develop a model homepage for legal services advocates and staff using both currently available iGoogle gadgets and custom gadgets that will be developed with the support of TIG funds. Community Legal Aid is collaborating with several organizations on this project including the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, National Technology Assistance Project, Legal Assistance of Western New York, and Montana Legal Services Association.

To view LSC's press release on all the Techonology Initiative Grants awarded nationwide, read on here.

Local Mayors Proclaim October 25th-31st as Pro Bono Week

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:43:28 +0000

Three local Mayors have proclaimed this week, October 25th-31st, as Pro Bono Week to recognize the attorneys throughout Northeast Ohio who have provided free legal advice and representation to individuals who could not otherwise afford civil legal assistance and to encourage and inspire other attorneys to join the pro bono movement. Mayors Jay Williams, Bob Breneman, and Don Plusquellic, of Youngstown, Wooster, and Akron, respectively, each signed a proclamation declaring this week Pro Bono Week in their cities. Community Legal Aid would like to thank the cities of Youngstown, Wooster, and Akron for contributing to Legal Aid's National Pro Bono Week Celebration. The full text of the proclamations reads:

WHEREAS, thousands of Ohioans continue to lack access to legal assistance that is often critical to their safety and independence, forcing them to resolve complex legal problems on their own, including domestic violence, divorce, child custody, evictions, mortgage foreclosures and the physical and financial abuse of the elderly; and

WHEREAS, there are only about 300 legal aid lawyers to serve Ohio’s low income population; and

WHEREAS, while members of ______’s legal community donate substantial hours in free legal services and make generous financial contributions to legal aid organizations in our city, a huge unmet need for legal assistance remains for our disadvantaged citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Statement Regarding the Provision of Pro Bono Legal Services by Ohio Lawyers underscores that lawyers have a special professional obligation to ensure that the justice system is accessible to everyone; and

WHEREAS, the National Pro Bono Celebration is being observed across the country during the week of October 25-31, 2009, to recognizes the valuable work lawyers do throughout the year, without fee, to represent those who cannot afford civil legal assistance, and the ______ County bar Association has events planned for the week which will both recognize those lawyers who provide pro bono service to those who cannot afford a lawyer, and which will recruit more lawyers to pro bono service to help meet the significant ongoing need;

NOW, THEREFORE, I ________________, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF _______, do hereby proclaim October 25 – 31, 2009 TO BE Pro Bono Week in the City of _______, and urge all residents to recognize the contributions of our legal community to help those most in need.

Dated this _______ day of ____________, 2009.

To see a full schedule of Pro Bono Week events sponsored by Community Legal Aid, click here.

To view the hard copies of the three proclamations see below:

Pro Bono Week Proclamation, Mayor Jay Williams Youngstown

Pro Bono Week Proclamation, Mayor Bob Breneman Wooster

Pro Bono Week Proclamation, Mayor Don Plusquellic Akron

Ohio State Bar Association Recognizes Volunteer Gayle Montalto

jclarke@communitylegalaid.org (Jane Clarke) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:06:11 +0000

The Ohio State Bar Association recognizes Gayle Montalto for her pro bono work on behalf of foreclosure victims in Summit and Cuyahoga Counties.

Cuyahoga Falls Attorney Uses Past Experience as Escrow Officer to Help Homeowners

Columbus, OHIO (Oct. 20, 2009) – Ohio State Bar Association member Gayle Montalto of Cuyahoga Falls spent 10 years as an escrow officer, witnessing the subprime mortgage crisis firsthand. Today, Montalto is an attorney in private practice who is one of the more than 1,300 attorneys who are providing legal services free of charge through “Save the Dream,” a statewide foreclosure assistance program that connects qualified homeowners with lawyers.

“When the call went out to attorneys to volunteer for ‘Save the Dream,’ I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of it,” Montalto said. “With my knowledge of loans, mortgage companies and banks, I knew that I could be helpful to homeowners.”

More than 3,200 Ohio families have avoided foreclosure through the counseling and legal assistance they have received since the “Save the Dream” initiative began on April 1, 2008.

Montalto has worked with the Community Legal Aid Services in Summit County and the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland on five cases in Summit, Stark and Cuyahoga counties. One of those was Edith McWilliams of Cleveland’s east side. “When my husband got sick and was forced to retire, we got behind on our mortgage payments,” McWilliams said. “Even when she got laid off from her job, Gayle stuck with our case and worked with us step by step to get a new payment so that we could stay in our home.”

Montalto feels there’s plenty of incentive for attorneys to volunteer for this program, especially attorneys who have lost their jobs. “If you’re out of work, the best thing to do is volunteer to keep yourself involved in legal issues. If you’re a law school graduate with no job prospects, this kind of experience is great to put on your resume,” she advises.

OSBA President Barbara J. Howard praised Montalto, and other attorneys like her, who have stepped forward to assist homeowners. “The attorneys who take part in ‘Save the Dream’ are truly inspiring in their dedication to helping those in their communities who face foreclosure,” Howard said. “Their commitment should serve as a spark to other attorneys to join in the efforts.”

“Save the Dream” is supported by the OSBA, the Governor’s Office, the Ohio Department of Development, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Ohio Treasurer’s Office, the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Ohio Department of Commerce, the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, various legal aid organizations, and housing counseling agencies.

Ohioans seeking assistance are encouraged to call the Save the Dream hotline at 1-888-404-4674. Attorneys interested in becoming involved should go to the member pages of the OSBA Web site, www.ohiobar.org, and click on “Foreclosure,” or call OSBA member services at 1-800-232-7124.
Howard said, “We encourage more lawyers to get involved in pro bono activities across the state. Lawyers interested in pitching in are urged to contact the Ohio State Bar Association, their local bar association or their local legal aid society.”

The Ohio State Bar Association, founded in 1880, is a voluntary association representing approximately 25,000 members of the bench and bar of Ohio as well as nearly 4,000 legal assistants and law students. Through its activities and the activities of its related organizations, the OSBA serves both its members and the public by promoting the highest standards in the practice of law and the administration of justice.

See the original article.

Are you looking for information on how to improve your credit, get an expungement, or file for bankruptcy?

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:33:21 +0000

Join Community Legal Aid on Tuesday October 27^th, 2009 at 6:00 pm for a free legal information program for low and moderate income Akron residents. The Financial Information and Legal Education program (FILE) provides practical information about expungements, credit, debt and bankruptcy, identity theft, and driver’s license suspensions through an attorney-led Power Point presentation and question and answer period. All participants will receive an informational packet with handouts and other resources about important financial and legal issues. The program is open to Akron residents and will be held at The Chapel, 135 Fir Hill, in Akron. If you can’t make it on October 27^th, there will be a series of FILE presentations at the Akron Public Library beginning November 5^th.

This program is made possible due to the generous funding of the City of Akron Community Services Programs.

For more information or to schedule a presentation, call Alex at 330-983-2513 or fill out a speaker request form.

Financial Information and Legal Education Flyer

Help Community Legal Aid Celebrate National Pro Bono Week by Receiving Free Legal Advice!

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:40:45 +0000

In celebration of National Pro Bono Week, October 25th-31st, Community Legal Aid is providing you with more opportunities to obtain free legal advice throughout central northeast Ohio. Legal Aid’s Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) has organized a number of new clinics for Pro Bono Week in addition to the many free legal clinics offered by Legal Aid on an ongoing basis. With at least one clinic in each of the eight counties Legal Aid serves, including Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne Counties, everyone in northeast Ohio will have the opportunity to be a part of Pro Bono Week.

You can participate by attending a FREE clinic where a local volunteer attorney can answer legal questions about: debts, bankruptcy and foreclosure, divorce, custody, and visitation, domestic violence, landlord/tenant issues, expungements, and benefits. Pre-registration is not required for these clinics.

To see a full list of Pro Bono Week clinics, locations, and times, visit our pro bono week page.

If you have questions regarding Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Week celebration, please contact Sandra Costa at 330-983-2622 or scosta@communitylegalaid.org.

Community Education

jclarke@communitylegalaid.org (Jane Clarke) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:07:25 +0000

Community Legal Aid's Community Education Program seeks to empower individuals by providing accurate and useful information about important legal issues through outreach presentations and events. The Community Education Program also works to raise awareness about the need for Legal Aid in our community through the distribution of information on the causes, effects, and incidence of poverty.

Interested in requesting a speaker? Click here to learn more.

Community Legal Aid offers presentations on a variety of topics in order to reach out to disenfranchised individuals and help them navigate our complex legal system. Legal Aid organizes a number of FREE presentations for community members, but if you would like to schedule a speaker to present to a specific group, please fill out a speaker request form. We can also provide presentations to professionals who work with low income populations. If you are an attorney, check out our CLE opportunities.

Learn more about Legal Aid's Community Education Program by downloading and reading our Community Education Brochure

Upcoming FREE Presentations and Community Events

SUMMIT COUNTY

Identity Theft Presentation, Friday, March 12th, 2010 1:00 p.m

Covers how to protect your personal information from identity thieves, how to detect fraudulent use of your personal information and finances, and the steps you should take if you become a victim.

Where: St. Martha Manor Apartments 575 Delmar Avenue, Akron, OH

** Note: If you are not a current resident of St. Martha Manor Apartments, please call Alex at 330-983-2513 to pre-register for the presentation.

Senior Legal Toolkit Presentation, Monday, March 15th, 2010 6:00 p.m.

Covers living wills, health care and financial powers of attorney, wills and the probate process. All attendees will received free packets of information and resources. A questions and answer period will be provided.

Where: Barberton Public Library 602 West Park Avenue Barberton, OH 44203

Registration: Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. To register, call Alex at 330-983-2513.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

Senior Legal Toolkit Presentation, March 10th 1:00 p.m.

Where: Norton Manor Apartments, 571 Ridge Road Newton Falls, OH 44444

** Note: If you are not a current resident of Norton Manor Apartments, please call Alex at 330-983-2513 to pre-register for the presentation.

Community Legal Aid Hosts Volunteers for United Way Day of Caring

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:30:50 +0000

Despite the fact that many employees feel overworked and companies under-staffed during these trying economic times, last week, individuals in Stark and Portage Counties found time to volunteer and give back to the communities where they live and work. The United Way agencies of Stark and Portage Counties facilitated a “Day of Caring”, during which individuals in the community volunteered their time to assist a United Way funded agency and learn more about how the agency positively impacts the community.

This year, Community Legal Aid hosted five volunteers at our Portage and Stark County offices. On Wednesday, three volunteers from Cutler Realty camped out at our Portage Office in Ravenna to do internet research and make phone calls to update contact information for volunteer attorneys that do Pro Bono work through Legal Aid’s Volunteer Legal Services Program. Then, on Thursday, two volunteers from ACME Fresh Market joined our staff at the Stark County office in Canton to help catch up on filing and create packets for community outreach clinics.

The Community Legal Aid staff in Portage and Stark Counties were pleased to meet and work with community members dedicated to volunteering. We look forward to hosting more volunteers during next year’s Day of Caring event, and greatly appreciate all the hard work that our volunteers did for us last week and the support of United Way. Thank You!

The Canton Repository ran two editorial pieces about the United Way Day of Caring in Stark County. To read these, visit The Repository.

Nearly 1 in 5 Older Americans Believed to be in Poverty- Almost Double the Official Rate

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:40:07 +0000

Today the Associated Press released an article citing a National Academy of Science finding that 1 in 5 older Americans are living in povery, which is nearly twice the official figure. The new rate is based on a revised formulat that accounts for increased costs of health and medical expenses that have not been incorporated into the original formula written in 1955. If the new formula propogated by the National Academy of Science is adopted by government analysts, poverty statistics would change in many different ways, including an increase in the overall rate from 12.5% to 15.3 %, for a total of approxiamately 45.7 million people.

Nearly 1 in 5 Older Americans Believed to be in Poverty - Almost Double the Official Rate

Hope Yen

Associated Press

September 4, 2009

Associated Press- The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living.

The National Academy of Science's formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over at 18.6 percent, or 6.8 million people, compared with 9.7 percent, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure. The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account of rising costs of medical care and other factors.

"It's a hidden problem," said Robin Talbert, president of the AARP Foundation, which provides job training and support to low-income seniors and is backing legislation that would adopt the NAS formula. "There are still many millions of older people on the edge, who don't have what they need to get by."

If the academy's formula is adopted, a more refined picture of American poverty could emerge that would capture everyday costs of necessities besides just food. The result could upend long-standing notions of those in greatest need and lead eventually to shifts in how billions of federal dollars for the poor are distributed for health, housing, nutrition and child-care benefits.

The overall official poverty rate would increase, from 12.5 percent to 15.3 percent, for a total of 45.7 million people, according to rough calculations by the Census Bureau. Data on all segments, not only the elderly, would be affected:

-The rate for children under 18 in poverty would decline slightly, to 17.9 percent.

-Single mothers and their children, who disproportionately receive food stamps, would see declines in the rates of poverty because noncash aid would be taken into account. Low-income people who are working could see increases in poverty rates, a reflection of transportation and child-care costs.

-Cities with higher costs of living, such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco, would see higher poverty rates, while more rural areas in the Midwest and South might see declines.

-The rate for extreme poverty, defined as income falling below 50 percent of the poverty line, would decrease due to housing and other noncash benefits.

-Immigrant poverty rates would go up, due to transportation costs and lower participation in government aid programs.

The changes have been discussed quietly for years in academic circles, and both Democrats and Republicans agree that the decades-old White House formula, which is based on a 1955 cost of an emergency food diet, is outdated.

The current calculation sets the poverty level at three times the annual cost of groceries. For a family of four that is $21,203. That calculation does not factor in rising medical, transportation, child care and housing expenses or geographical variations in living costs. Nor does the current formula consider noncash aid when calculating income, despite the recent expansion of food stamps and tax credits in the federal economic stimulus and other government programs. The result: The poverty rate has varied little from its current 12.5 percent.

Next week, the Census Bureau will publish official poverty figures for 2008 with a cautionary note about the shortcomings. The agency says it will expedite release of alternative numbers in the following weeks, because of the interest expressed by lawmakers and the Obama administration in seeing a fuller range of numbers.

"The current poverty measure does a very bad job of measuring the impact of quite a few of our anti-poverty policies," Rebecca Blank, the Commerce Department's undersecretary of economic affairs, said in an interview. "It isn't meaningless, but it isn't complete."

Although the White House Office of Management and Budget dictates how federal poverty is measured, legislation pending in Congress would require use of the National Academy approach. Advocates are hoping the White House may act on its own.

To read the rest of this article visit the Washington Examiner.

Community Legal Aid Receives ARRA-VAWA Stimulus Grant to Address Spike in Domestic Violence Occurence and Severity

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:10:41 +0000

On August 6th, the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services awarded Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. (CLAS) over $80,000 to fund legal services and victim assistance in Stark County, in collaboration with the Domestic Violence Project, Inc. This stimulus grant is only one of many new grants being sought by CLAS to increase client services in cooperation with area shelters and other community agencies throughout central northeast Ohio. The ARRA-VAWA grant will be used to fund outreach clinics designed to reach local victims of domestic violence, stalking and sexually oriented offenses.

These clinics are one of numerous ways CLAS is marshalling legal and community services to combat the devastating effects this economic downturn has inflicted on Ohio residents. As the recession deepens, individuals, families and whole communities struggle under the stressors of mass layoffs, limited credit, and increasing foreclosures. Ohio, once a national leader in the production of steel and rubber for the American automotive industry, has been hit particularly hard.

Ohio’s poverty population has grown steadily since 2000. According to the 2007 Ohio Poverty Report, approximately 1,392,000 Ohioans (12.3% of the population), including 340,000 Ohio families, were poor in 2005. The unemployment rate has more than doubled from 4.0% in 2000 to 11.1% as of July 2009. In June 2008, the Dayton Business Journal reported that Ohio had the sixth highest rate of foreclosures per capita in the nation, with 13,194 properties in foreclosure that month.

This economic instability has profoundly expressed itself in domestic violence. A statewide study by the Ohio State University has found that “domestic violence rates increase as poverty rates and percentage of racial minorities increase.” (Domestic Violence in Ohio 2004: Report to the Ohio Offices of Criminal Justice Services) In 2004, the cities of Youngstown and Akron had the second and fourth highest rates of reported domestic violence incidents in the State. Furthermore, domestic violence court filings substantially increased between 1999 and 2005 in all 8 counties serviced by CLAS.

In addition to the rise in the incidence of domestic violence, the continuing period of economic hardship has sparked an escalation in the severity of brutality. “Not only are we receiving many more requests for assistance,” says Managing Attorney Christina M. Janice, “but we are seeing a dramatic increase in the severity of the violence. In one matter, we obtained protective relief for a young mother and her children after her estranged husband broke into her home, handcuffed and shot her with her children present. In another matter, the respondent literally set his victim on fire, causing her horrific injuries.” Janice added, “That we are becoming more violent in this recessionary economy requires our communities to coordinate immediate, yet fiscally smart strategies both to remedy the violence and to address its deeper causes.”

To break free and stay free of domestic violence, a victim’s ability to attain both immediate personal stability and long term economic independence is crucial. Sustained independence, in turn, reduces the instances of domestic violence and the strain of this abuse on local economies. Investing in strategies to address the complex needs of victims not only yields positive individual results, but offers the promise of long term economic stability and decreased reliance on over-strained governmental and non-governmental agencies.
Legal assistance, specifically, is critical in terminating and preventing domestic violence and the pervasive, unhealthy and ultimately destructive control the abuser holds over the victim. CLAS is collaborating with local victims’ services organizations throughout Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne Counties to seek further funding to reach out to marginalized victims of domestic violence, and to provide them with desperately needed access to legal assistance across a wide range of legal matters that will promote their safety and long term independence.

No School Fees for Children Who Receive Free School Lunches

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:37:11 +0000

Your Family May Not Have to Pay School Fees This Year!

There is help for Ohio’s families. Starting this year, families who are eligible for the Free Lunch Program no longer have to pay for school fees, instructional fees or class dues if those fees are for any materials needed to participate fully in a course of instruction. PLEASE NOTE: The fee waiver program does not apply to materials or activities that are not related fully to a course of instruction. This means families must still pay any fees associated with extracurricular activities like sports teams, or music groups.

The Ohio General Assembly has recognized that school fees can be a burden for Ohio’s families and determined in House Bill 1, as a part of education reform, that school fees cannot be charged to families (with consent) who meet the guidelines for the Federal Free Lunch Program. This provision will allow Ohio’s families to send their children to school with less financial worry so they can better focus on learning.

You are eligible to have your child's school fees waived if you are an Ohio resident and your family meets the guidelines for the Free School Lunch Program. Contact your school for more information about instructional fees or the Ohio Department of Education at 1-877-644-6338. If you are interested in getting help estimating your eligibility or to complete an application for the Free School Lunch and Breakfast Programs contact your school or visit your local Ohio Benefit Bank site. For the site nearest you call: 1-800-648-1176 Or visit: www.obb.ohio.gov The Benefit Bank can also help you fill out applications for free and reduced priced lunch programs, food assistance, heating assistance and other programs to help Ohio’s families.

House of Representatives passes the Neighborhood Preservation Act (HR 2529)

aschmitt@communitylegalaid.org (Alex Schmitt) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:09:08 +0000

On July 29th, the House approved the Neighborhood Preservation Act, which is aimed at addressing the current abundance of foreclosures and unsold housing inventories. The bill would temporarily permit a bank or mortgage servicer to enter into a long-term lease for properties acquired through foreclosure with an individual or the prior homeowner of a foreclosed property. Under the bill, the prior homeowner would have the option to lease the property with the choice to buy back the home. The bill would also enable the lender to sell the property within five years into a more stable market, and thereby potentially recover all or part of the loss that would otherwise have occurred with an immediate sale in a saturated market.

Despite the broad support expressed in the House for this initiative, some are still unconvinced of its future effectiveness. The national non-profit, CommonDreams.org, issued a press release saying: “While this measure may allow some number of homeowners to stay in their homes as renters, it is unlikely to benefit the vast majority of homeowners who are facing foreclosure, since the decision to allow homeowners to become long-term renters will be left with the bank. If Congress does want to give foreclosed homeowners the option to stay in their homes as renters, it will be necessary to pass legislation that explicitly gives them this right. Given the limited impact to date of the various mortgage modification programs that have been put in place, a Right to Rent law seems the only plausible route toward providing homeowners with security in their house.”

Sources: CommonDreams.org ; GOP.gov