On Aug. 7, 2010, Governor Deval Patrick signed “An Act Stabilizing Neighborhoods.” To learn more about how this act helps protect tenants and property owner and helps preserve affordable housing, click here.

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MBHP is in the vanguard of providers addressing the needs of tenants affected by foreclosures. By tracking foreclosure auction notices and comparing them to MBHP’s database of property owners and rental assistance tenants, we have been able to contact those affected by foreclosure actions and assist them with counseling, resources and advice regarding their rights and responsibilities.

MBHP also offers individual and small-investment property owners assistance with counseling and loan modification applications. Counselors review the household finances, asses the causes of default, and work closely with the homeowner to develop a strategy to address the causes. Counselors then submit a complete proposal to the lender for an appropriate workout strategy.

MBHP engages in collaborative advocacy efforts to develop an effective systemic response to policies and practices that affect this national crisis. We try to show that there are alternatives to foreclosure and that properties, specifically those occupied by tenants who have state or federal rental assistance, even if foreclosed upon, can be sold with the tenants in place.

If you are a tenant facing eviction or possible eviction because your landlord is being foreclosed upon, contact MBHP’s Housing Consumer Education Center at (617) 425-6670 to learn more about your rights as a tenant and about recent federal legislation regarding those rights.

If you are a property owner/small investor facing foreclosure and need assistance, contact the MBHP Foreclosure Prevention and Tenancy Preservation hotline at (617) 425-6687. Or, see below for more information, including accessing eligibility information about the federal anti-foreclosure program and the federal refinancing program.

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On May 20, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act. For information about how the legislation protects and helps tenants and property owners, click here.