Attorney General Hosts Central Florida Community Forum on Housing Issues
TALLAHASSEE, FL – December 6, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Attorney General Bill McCollum and the Florida Interagency Mortgage Task Force today hosted a community forum in Kissimmee to discuss the housing crisis. The event was designed to present a comprehensive approach for dealing with housing-related issues and provide information and assistance to consumers. Participating agencies included state agencies, law enforcement and regulatory authorities.
In addition to presentations from numerous government entities, the forum featured 20-25 representatives from Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, GMAC and SunTrust Bank to offer personal assistance to homeowners seeking loan modifications and other mortgage-related guidance. Attorney General McCollum requested the assistance of these banks after hearing from hundreds of homeowners from across the state about their frustrations while attempting to save their homes or modify the terms of their mortgages. Orange County Bar Association Legal Aid Society and Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida were also on hand to provide pro bono legal advice to attendees.
Last April, Attorney General McCollum called together the first meeting of the Interagency Task Force to address the ways different state agencies could work together to fight mortgage fraud and protect Florida homeowners. One of the task force’s primary initiatives is to increase the public’s awareness about what services are available for affected homeowners as well as to provide information about potential scams to avoid. The task force is also charged with sharing information about potential cases and developing a comprehensive method for informing other agencies when mortgage fraud cases may involve their jurisdiction. To date, six community forums have been held in Tampa, Ft. Myers, Miami, Kissimmee and Sunrise.
More information about the Attorney General’s efforts to combat mortgage fraud and consumer educational materials is available online at: http://www.myfloridalegal.com/mortgagefraud. Consumers and homeowners can report mortgage fraud or other economic crimes to the Attorney General’s fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or online at http://www.myfloridalegal.com.
Media Contact:
Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150
