Westchester County Clerk Idoni Urges At Risk Homeowners To Get Help Now
Apr. 06, 2009
While New York’s subprime lending reform bill may have slowed foreclosure filings, foreclosure judgments are still being entered in alarming numbers. In fact, two hundred and thirty one Westchester foreclosure judgments were entered during the first quarter of 2009.
County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni urges Westchester residents who may be at risk of foreclosure, to seek help immediately. “Foreclosures hurt families, hurt our neighborhoods and hurt our municipal budgets” began Idoni. “And while we are glad to see that the first quarter of 2009 lags behind 2008 in both the number of actions started and the number of actions ending with a foreclosure judgment, it is critical that at risk residents get help before it is too late.” Idoni urged residents to consider the following:
- Don’t wait until legal papers are filed in the Office of the Westchester County Clerk. Residents who have received warning letters from their bank or lender, or who have fallen behind on their payments, must seek help now. Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO), a non-profit housing agency with offices in White Plains and Mount Vernon, conducts Mortgage Default Orientation Sessions most Tuesdays in their White Plains office. Call a trained counselor at 428-4507 or visit http://www.wroinc.org/ to see how they can help you.
- If you have been served with foreclosure papers, understand that you can still get help. The commencement of a foreclosure action does not mean that a Westchester home will be lost to foreclosure. Many homeowners enter into a repayment plan, secure a modified loan, refinance with another lender or sell their home on their own to avoid foreclosure. Do not give up.
- Beware of foreclosure rescue scams. As foreclosure rates climb, so do the number of mortgage foreclosure scams. Making a bad situation worse can be avoided by relying on a reputable counseling agency or a trusted attorney to guide you through the process.
The Westchester County Clerk is the Clerk for the Supreme Court where foreclosure actions are heard. The public can visit the Legal Division located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays to look up legal records, judgments, liens, lis pendens, and other business records. For more information on our Legal Division, please call 995-3070 or visit our website at http://www.westchesterclerk.com/.