Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait! Workshop Coming to Eastern Shore For the First Time Ever

NEW CARROLLTON, Md. (November 29, 2016) – To serve residents of the Eastern Shore, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development will bring its Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait! workshop to the Eastern Shore town of Cambridge for the first time in the program’s history this December.

When the housing crisis began in 2007, the Eastern Shore was not as affected by the high foreclosure rates seen across other parts of the state. However, between 2008 and 2011, before the moratorium on foreclosures was enacted, foreclosure rates on the Eastern Shore spiked by 66.5 percent, from 2,062 foreclosure events in 2008 to 3,433 prior to the moratorium. After the moratorium was lifted, the numbers spiked again: there were 4,091 foreclosure events in the region in 2013 and 4,755 in 2014. Foreclosure events include notices of default, notices of sale and lender purchases.

While the foreclosure rates are declining, both on the Eastern Shore and statewide, many are still in need of assistance. According to RealtyTrac, in October Caroline County saw 1 in every 562 homes go into foreclosure, compared to the statewide average of 1 in every 675 homes. To date this year, there have been 2,545 foreclosure events in the region.

The agency first offered the clinics in 2008, not long after the housing crisis began. According to the department’s Director of Community Outreach Kelly Vaughn, the program has grown to be viewed as a valuable resource for those seeking solutions. The event is unique in its one-stop shop setup, offering attendees the chance to meet with loan servicers, pro-bono attorneys and housing counselors all in one day.

“We want to offer homeowners on the Eastern Shore the same resources that we’ve provided Baltimore, Prince George’s and Charles County this year, by way of various options and resources to preserve their homes because home preservation helps stabilize and revitalize communities to build a stronger economy statewide,” Vaughn said. “We want residents to know they have options. They don’t have to go through this alone. We want to help.”

The free event will be held December 10 at the Dorchester Career and Technology Center. For more information, visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov/Residents/Pages/HOPE/Events.aspx. To register, visit http://bit.ly/MLDWEasternShore.

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CONTACT: Sara Luell, Director of Communications, sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803