The Mortgage Daily

This in today from HUD....

Homeowners NEVER have to pay to participate in the President’s Making Home Affordable program. I encourage anyone trying to modify or refinance their loans to a monthly mortgage payment that is affordable to visit the Making Home Affordable website at makinghomeaffordable.gov. Homeowners can also call the Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE for free foreclosure counseling assistance.

April is National Fair Housing Month. It’s important, in that context, to recognize that the economic and housing crises, including foreclosure scams, have disproportionately impacted minority populations across the country. Unscrupulous financial institutions, brokers, and others have broken their trust as lenders, cheating and lying to families fighting to make their way through this crisis. I will renew our commitment at HUD to fair housing enforcement, particularly for lending violations that target minority communities. As part of our broader effort to combat abuse and fraud, HUD is using new tools, including the SAFE Act and RESPA, to protect American families. We at HUD will ensure that all Americans, particularly those in areas previously victimized by unscrupulous practices, are protected and will enforce our laws against those who prey upon them.

Signed – Shaun Donovan, Secretary