CITY HALL. When attorney Alfonso Madrid walks into the city's foreclosure diversion court, he can usually tell the helpless homeowners from the mortgage lenders.

"These people walk in very scared with a complete sense of unempowerment," said Madrid, owner of a small Center City private practice, who got involved in the program in May.

Court officials yesterday celebrated the first anniversary of the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, which has become a national model. The program has served more than 5,000 homeowners and helped 1,400 of them avoid the embarrassment of foreclosure, partially because of hundreds of lawyers like Madrid who have volunteered hours upon hours.

"The housing counselors do a lot of the work," Madrid, 41, said. "A good part of our job is to make [the homeowners] feel good that they have an attorney on their side."

Kari Samuels, an attorney at McCarter and English in Center City who has been part of the program almost since its inception, said she has experienced a mix of gratitude and frustration working with clients in the program.

"I actually had two people lie to me," Samuels, 39, said. "But that's few and far between. Most people are extremely grateful."

Samuels' hourly rate is more than $300, but bridging the gap between borrowers and mortgage companies has been rewarding enough, she said.

City Councilman Curtis Jones said he the pro bono work from city attorneys has surprised him the most.

"What they did was huge," Jones said. "It gives me a renewed sense of faith."