Ohio Department of Development

Fisher Announces $2 Million for Foreclosure Prevention Activities
24 Organization Receive Grant Assistance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2008

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that 24 organizations will receive $2 million in awards for foreclosure counseling through the Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counseling Program. The grants will assist 9,000 low- and moderate-income households in 64 Ohio counties.

"As the foreclosure crisis continues to affect Ohio families, it is critical that the necessary tools and resources are deployed to protect families and their most valuable investment," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "The Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counseling Program complements the efforts of the Strickland Administration's Foreclosure Prevention Task Force toward ensuring that Ohioans have the resources, knowledge, and assistance during these challenging circumstances."

The Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counseling Program is designed to provide an effective means of reducing the number of mortgage foreclosures and delinquencies for low -to moderate- income households in Ohio. Funding is provided to eligible nonprofit organizations for the purpose of providing counseling to homeowners in danger or at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure.

Fiscal Year 2007 Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counseling Program
Award Recipients

County	Award Recipient	Amount ($)
Ashtabula Athens Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Hamilton Hamilton Jefferson Lucas Mahoning Montgomery Montgomery Portage Ross Sandusky Summit	Catholic Charities of Ashtabula Corporation for Ohio Appalachian Cleveland Housing Network Community Housing Solutions Consumer Protection Association Home Repair Resource Center Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland Spanish American Committee for Better Community Columbus Housing Partnership, Incorporated Columbus Urban League Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Ohio Homes on the Hill Community Development Corp. Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Home Ownership Center of Greater Cincinnati Working in Neighborhoods Jefferson County Community Action Agency Northwest Ohio Development Agency Children's and Family Service Graceworks Lutheran Services St. Mary Development Corporation Neighborhood Development Services Frontier Community Services, Incorporated WSOS Community Action Agency, Incorporated Mustard Seed Development Center	50,000 40,000 145,500 125,000 55,000 50,000 150,000 121,000 138,000 111,300 144,100 111,300 94,900 50,000 74,200 35,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 74,200 50,000 25,000 62,100 143,400
Total $2,000,000

The Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counseling Program is funded by the Ohio Housing Trust fund which is administered by the Community Development Division at the Ohio Department of Development. The Community Development Division provides assistance to Ohio families through a variety of programming including neighborhood revitalization, homeless and housing assistance, home energy assistance, and weatherization programs. Additional information about programs and grants offered by the Community Development Division is available by visiting http://www.odod.state.oh.us/cdd/ohcp/.

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Media Contacts: Nikki Jaworski (614) 466-9161 or Kelly Schlissberg (614) 466-4133.