Franklin County Commissioners, Treasurer, and Prosecutor announced a collaborative county program yesterday that is designed to assist Franklin County residents struggling to save their home from foreclosure. The Homeowner Helpline is a $2.7 million dollar program that will use delinquent tax and assessment collection (DTAC) money from the Treasurer and Prosecutor, and community partner and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds from the Commissioners.
With the passage of HB 562 and HB 359 earlier this year, the Treasurer and Prosecutor are now authorized to use DTAC funds for foreclosure prevention programs, nuisance abatement, and demolition.
The Homeowner Helpline program will include a public awareness campaign, as well as funding for housing counselors, nuisance abatement, rescue funding, mortgage fraud prosecutions, and homebuyer assistance. Homeowner Helpline will also fund a mediation program with the Municipal and Common Pleas Courts. The purpose of mediation is to encourage homeowners and lenders to come to the table and work out options for payment in order to prevent the homeowner from losing their home to foreclosure.
So sound off here, folks! What do you think of the state or county getting into the business of counseling, rehabing homes, or demolition? Is this a common sense proposal?
