June 8, 2009
KYW

Local Group Calls For More Mortgage Assistance in Pa.

By Karin Phillips

Local housing advocates were heading to Harrisburg on Tuesday to demand more help to prevent foreclosures in Pennsylvania.

John Dodds, director of the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, says the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a program to help those about to lose their homes, but says it's terribly underfunded. So he and his group and others are heading to Harrisburg to talk to legislators about putting more money in the HEMAP fund'

"We’ve got a second wave for foreclosures coming through which we haven't prepared very well for and that's the foreclosures that are going to be caused by the recession and the gigantic job losses. And we're going to be calling for adequate funding for the state mortgage assistance program which loans money to homeowners to pay their mortgage until they get back on their feet."

A bus was leaving at 7am on Tuesday from 16th and JFK. Call PUP at 215-557-0822.