Eight offers homeowner foreclosure advice online


According to a May 12, 2010 report from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, foreclosures continue to help drive the real estate market in Phoenix. In April, foreclosures combined with the resales of previously foreclosed properties accounted for 60 percent of the single-family home market activity in the Valley. Traffic on Eight’s azpbs.org/mortgagecrisis website – more than 7,100 page views – bears out that statistic.  

Launched last summer, the site compiles resources for homeowners in danger of missing mortgage payments or threatened with foreclosure. There is information on legal services, avoiding scams, employment and medical assistance, child care, plus the complete Arizona Foreclosure Information Workbook. Users will also find help in locating HUD-approved housing counselors in Arizona.

“For homeowners who are dealing with these difficult times, being able to access all these resources in one place is invaluable,” said Reginald Givens, Neighborhood Stabilization Program Coordinator, Arizona Department of Housing. “They can review materials from more than ten different government agencies.”

The site also includes the 30-minute TV show featuring guests Patricia Garcia Duarte, Chair of the Arizona Foreclosure Prevention Task Force & C.E.O. of Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix; Bob Zumoff, Senior Litigation Council for the Office of the Arizona Attorney General; and Givens. The panel explains how a homeowner can negotiate with the lender when in danger of missing payments, how to handle phone calls and notices from lenders, and most importantly, when to seek assistance.

“Eight is committed to delivering this much-needed service along with our community partners,” said Kelly McCullough, Eight General Manager. “We will add additional online resources as new information becomes available.”

About Eight, Arizona PBS
Eight, Arizona PBS specializes in the education of children, in-depth news and public affairs, lifelong learning, and the celebration of arts and culture — utilizing the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, educational outreach services, and community-based initiatives. The PBS station began broadcasting from the campus of Arizona State University on January 30, 1961.  Now more than 80 percent of Arizonans receive the signal through a network of translators, cable and satellite systems.  With more than 1.3 million viewers each week, Eight consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country.  Arizonans provide more than 60 percent of the station’s annual budget. For more information, visit www.azpbs.org.

Eight is a member-supported service of Arizona State University.