CLINTON, MD — U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) today joined with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Ray Skinner and representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Freddie Mac to sponsor a Foreclosure Prevention Workshop for Marylanders facing foreclosure.   

“If your mortgage is late, you cannot wait and this foreclosure workshop is geared to help residents of Prince George’s and Montgomery counties and of Southern Maryland who are facing foreclosure,” said Senator Cardin.  “People are hurting and I want to connect Maryland residents with counselors, pro bono attorneys and loan servicers who can provide them with the advice and resources they need to modify their loans and avoid foreclosure.”

“Although we have made significant progress fighting foreclosures in our state, far too many families remain at risk of losing their home,” Secretary Skinner said. “Our goal is to cut through the red tape, cut through the missed appointments and unanswered phone calls, and cut through the empty rhetoric and broken promises to  find sustainable alternatives to foreclosure that works for each individual family.”

According to RealtyTrac, Maryland is currently ranked 41^st in the nation for foreclosures, with 3,251 filings in the most recent reporting period.  Prince George County has the highest foreclosure rate in the state with 27 percent (892 filings).  Montgomery County is ranked 4^th highest in the state with a foreclosure rate of 10.7 percent (349 filings); Charles County is ranked 9^th with 104 filings; St. Mary’s County is ranked 12^th with 41 filings, followed by Calvert County, which is ranked 13^th highest with 34 filings.

Hundreds of Marylander’s attended today’s Foreclosure Prevention Workshop, which was held at Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton.  The lenders who participated included: Bank of America, PNC Bank, J.P. Morgan Chase, Citi Bank, Freddie Mac, M&T Bank, Sun Trust, and Wells Fargo.

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