Eleanor* lost her job and had fallen behind on her mortgage payments. Unfortunately, the mortgage company started the foreclosure process shortly after those first few missed payments. She tried to take money out of her 401K to pay off the mortgage balance, but was met with roadblocks at every point in the process.
She had lived in her home for fourteen years and was important to Eleanor to keep her home - not just because it was her home, but also because she was the primary support person for her disabled brother, Sam*. Just before her home was set to be sold in a foreclosure auction, Eleanor was referred to Legal Aid Society by a private attorney.
The Legal Aid attorney quickly stepped in and began working on Eleanor's behalf. The attorney's first steps were to cancel the foreclosure sale and help Eleanor apply for the Homeowners Assistance Fund. Legal Aid continued to work with Eleanor to support her through the stages of the Homeowners Assistance Fund process. In early 2023, Eleanor was approved for $12,919.61 in Homeowner Assistance Funds. The funds paid off the past due balance on her mortgage and allowed her to keep her home as well as continue to care for her brother. With the help of Legal Aid, Eleanor was also able to maintain the same low monthly mortgage payment she previously had!
*names changed for privacy