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Sen. Jeff Klein gathered with elected officials from across the city, housing advocates and New York homeowners to advocate for a restoration of critical foreclosure funding that would aid New Yorkers in danger of losing their homes. ““This battle starts today,” said Sen. Klein. “We need to keep people in their homes for the holidays but also year round.”
Story and photos by Scott Mickulas
The days before Thanksgiving are typically when most people finalize holiday plans, and decide whether they will be traveling, or hosting family at home.
But some are worrying whether they’ll even have a “home” for the holidays, let alone after.
This past Mon., Nov. 21st, New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, joined by a host of city-wide elected officials, legal rights advocates and homeowners from across the city, held a press conference on the steps of New York County’s Supreme Court on Centre Street to highlight the imminent dangers of home loss to foreclosure by over 1,800 New Yorkers.
“This battle starts today,” said Sen. Klein. “We need to keep people in their homes for the holidays but also year round.”
Sen. Klein was joined by fellow New York State Senators Adriano Espaillat and Eric Adams, New York State Assemblymembers Guillermo Linares and Francisco Moya, as well as by New York City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras. The elected officials from across neighborhoods in the city stood together with local homeowners’ advocacy groups, including Legal Services of New York, to call attention to a $25 million funding gap that remains missing from next year’s State budget, and which would help to fund non-profit and legal defense organizations that assist New Yorkers threatened by foreclosure. Together, they are urging for a restoration of foreclosure prevention program funding implemented in 2008 that served, in the past four years, to assist over 80,000 homeowners and help save over 14,000 homes. Moreover, the budget shortfall, argue advocates, could ultimately wind up costing the city an additional $18 million in lost tax revenue and property value.
The funding expires on Dec. 31st, 2011.
Present also were many of the at-risk homeowners themselves.
Some spoke out about the dangers they faced in losing their home, and about the critical aid they’d received from local non-profits dedicated to helping New Yorkers entangled in messy foreclosure proceedings.
Jose Perez powerfully brought home the harsh reality of New Yorkers being one catastrophe away from foreclosure. Perez, a Staten Island homeowner, was struck with an emergency that caused him to fall behind in payments.
“I tried to contact the banks but I was given the run-around,” he said during the press conference, fighting back tears as he spoke.
Despairing and ready to give up, he finally approached Staten Island Legal Services of New York and, as he explained it, “they are the reason why I’m still in my home right now. I would’ve been homeless without Legal Services.”
Perez was overcome with emotion as he told his story, pausing and starting to cry as he recalled the painful process of foreclosure.
“I will go wherever they need me to go to tell my story. I want to thank them, all of these organizations and these State Senators.”
New York State Assemblymember Guillermo Linares underscored Perez’s emotional testimony. “This is a harsh reality that we face. How many Jose’s do we have in New York? We’ll fight to restore funding.”
New York State Senator Adriano Espaillat, of the Bronx and northern Manhattan, echoed the call for funding, saying, “We’re asking for $25 million dollars, which is a drop in the bucket, to save the dreams of thousands of New Yorkers.”
New York City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras sought to underscore how tenuous the line between homeownership and homelessness is, noting that she was a former board member of the Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc., a city-wide non-profit that seeks to provide affordable housing and maintain homeownership.
“I had to figure out what homeless shelter they would go to,” said Councilmember Ferreras. “They’re not going to five-star hotels. We have to continue to fund these organizations.”
Mehmet Israfil, a Bronx homeowner, was extremely enthusiastic about the help he received from Legal Services in the Bronx.
“For two and a half years, I fought with the Bank of America,” explained Israfil, detailing his ordeal. “I had exhausted my savings. High-powered law firms asked me to pay $4000 to $5000 to take my case.”
But Israfil then reached out to Legal Services New York in the Bronx.
“They took my case, at no cost to me. Our first meeting, they were so motivated and really accepted our case.”
Israfil and his wife, he said, were still concerned about the real possibility of losing their home. “I was not confident our house would be saved,” he said.
But their hopes were rewarded as they worked through their case with Legal Services.
“Within three months, I saved $800 per month. My wife and I were taken aback,” concluded Israfil. “We support the organization. Their efforts were outstanding, quick and showed results. Now, I’m championing their cause.”
Janelle Greene, Director of Government and Community Relations of the Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc., noted that the money devoted to helping New Yorkers prevent foreclosure is ultimately good for everyone.
“Foreclosure prevention saves the state money. Legal representation works. Over 80,000 homeowners were assisted, [and] delinquent people pay off their debts with the help of counseling.”
“We’re here to stand up for those who want home ownership,” Senator Klein said, praising the work of the community organizations and non-profits. “Our foreclosure problems have been better in part because of them. We’re [all] here to help people stay in their homes.”
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