Task Force Activities

Year End Reporting

 

On December 14, 2008 Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica, Inc. held its Year-

End Foreclosure Prevention Task Force Meeting at the NHS of Jamaica office. In atten-

dance were NHS Board members Lori Miller (President) and Camille Dunn (1^st Vice

President), Jamal Wilkerson from Councilman James Sanders’ office, Michael Johnson

from Assembly Scarborough’s office, Kenneth Hagood from Senator Malcolm Smith’s

 office,  Michael Abel from NYC Housing Preservation and Development, Robert Tilley

 from NYC Commission on Human Rights, Attorneys Oda Friedman and Howard

 Sherman, NHSJ staff members, Patricia Kerr (Program Director) and Cerinelly Disla

 (Foreclosure Specialist), local residents and international reporters, Stefan Forsok and Daniel Zoolsek who were writing a story on NHS of Jamaica for a Swedish newspaper.

 

Task Force members shared the challenges that their respective organizations faced as well as discussed the achievements that they made over the past year.  After representatives discussed their achievements, task force members offered each other advice and shared resources and strategies employed to combat the mortgage crisis in their neighborhoods. Cerinelly Disla, NHSJ Foreclosure Specialist, provided task force members with information on the clients that have come to NHS of Jamaica for assistance. Much to the task force’s surprise, the number of foreclosures has increased since the beginning of 2007. In order to remedy this situation, NHS of Jamaica shared with the Task Force the initiative that it is in the process of implementing. In the coming months, NHS of Jamaica will be rolling out its Foreclosure Intervention Campaign, which aims to educate first-time homebuyers about the home buying process and help eligible homeowners to refinance into more affordable mortgages.

Empowering People •Building Communities •Strengthening Southeast Queens Since 1974

TASK FORCE MEMBERS

 

Bob Tilley, Human Rights Specialist NYC Commission on Human Rights 

Camille Dunn, VP Bus. Development Director, Citigroup

Dwayne Jones- Parodneck Foundation

Gale Benzman, Policy Analyst, Office of the Comptroller

Isaac Parsee, NYC Commission On Human Rights 

Lisa Atkins, Dir. of Housing Queens Borough Presidents Office

Marie Pedraza, V P, Community Lending HSBC

Mike Abel, HPD

Oda Friedhaim, Queens Legal Aid

Sotirios Assimacopolous, Parodneck Foundation

Foreclosure Activities 2007              Total

 

Total One-on-one Counseling                             228

Total Hotline Counseling                                      182

Referred to Real Estate Agents                              87

Total Non Hotline Counseling                              46

Referred to Attorneys                                             40

Loss Mitigation Process                                          39

Additional Counseling Needed                              29

Referred to other Agency                                       23

Seminars/Presentations                                          11

Loan Reinstated                                                         9

Client Declined Counseling                                    8

Loans Refinanced                                                      1