North Central Mobility Program 

Mrs. C. is a recipient of a RAP certificate.
 
She is a single mother with 2 children.  She was referred to HERC by a local Housing Authority because she needed to move immediately and, since she had a RAP, was eligible for the North Central Mobility Program (NCMP).  She had been forced to leave her apartment due to several break-ins and was staying with family members.  Three police reports were on file with the local Police Department and the client feared further break-ins.  

Mrs. C. attended a HERC NCMP Tenant Education program in January of 2010 and explained her concerns for her safety and that of her children.  During the Housing Assessment it was learned that her income came solely from SSI and she did not have any money saved for a security deposit.  The NCMP Counselor contacted the Department of Social Services and had them pre-screen the client for eligibility for the State Security Deposit Guarantee Program. Unfortunately, because she had available housing, she was not eligible for the program.  

The NCMP counselor then contacted The Chrysalis Center, Inc. and The Salvation Army in Hartford, CT since both agencies are participants of the Rapid Re-Entry Housing Program.  With their assistance the NCMP counselor was able to secure a small amount of funds for the client to use for her security deposit.  

The NCMP Counselor then contacted a landlord with whom the she had worked previously and who she knew owned rental units in the area where Mrs. C. wanted to live.  Fortunately, the landlord had some vacant units and appointments were set up for the client to see them.  Mrs. C. really liked one unit in particular and landlord was willing to rent to her despite her poor credit history.  The only problem was that the landlord wanted $1,750 security deposit, the equivalent of 2 months rent. Unfortunately the funds secured for Mrs. C. totaled only $600.  

The NCMP counselor entered into negotiations with the landlord and was able to secure the unit for the family by setting up a payment plan between the landlord and the client for remainder of security deposit. All appropriate paperwork was finalized by both the client and the landlord with the assistance of the NCMP counselor and submitted to the Housing Authority.  A lease was signed for a March 2010 move-in.
Mrs. C. was grateful for the assistance provided by HERC.  She and her family feel very safe and comfortable in their new apartment and know they would have been unable to locate and rent the new apartment on their own.

Foreclosure Prevention

Mr. H’s wife had health problems resulting in unanticipated costs and the loss of her income from the household for over 2 years.

After working on his mortgage problems without success on his own, Mr. H. came to HERC.   HERC helped him submit a mortgage workout packet to Bank of America in the Fall of 2009, the Winter of 2010, and again in the Spring of 2010.  

Both the Client and HERC were in communication with the Bank of America for over 6 months and had been reassured that Bank of America was working on a mortgage solution for Mr. H.  At one point, the Bank of America told HERC that Mr. H. had declined an offer of which Mr. H. had never been informed.  HERC worked diligently trying to revive that offer for Mr. H. 

After months of unsuccessful negotiations, HERC escalated Mr. H’s case within the Bank of America in April 2010.  In May 2010, Bank of America responded they were making a special effort to resolve Mr. H.’s case.   And finally in June 2010, Mr. H. received an affordable loan modification offer which allowed him to keep his house. 

 Foreclosure Prevention

Mr. T. had worked for 15 years at a job which expected overtime from him on a regular basis.
 
In 2009 the recession caused his employer to cancel all overtime.  As a result of this reduction in income, Mr. T. had problems paying both his credit cards and his mortgage. 

As he sought out a second job, he also became a HERC client in March 2009.  HERC helped him understand the difference between secured and unsecured debt and helped him prioritize his budget. After submitting mortgage workout packets to Bank of America in April 2009, August 2009 and September 2009, Mr. T. received a Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) Trial Period Plan (i.e., forbearance) effective November 2009. 

Mr. T.’s mortgage problems should have been over.  However, Bank of America sent Mr. T. a Notice of Intent to Accelerate in February 2010, which is the notice sent prior to a foreclosure action.  HERC contacted Bank of America and sent another updated mortgage workout packet.  As we were about to escalate this file, Mr. T. was finally granted a permanent HAMP beginning in April 2010 with his mortgage going from 5.62% to 2.0% for 5 years, increasing by a percentage point each year until stopping at 2017 at 5.0% for the life of the loan.