California Groups Awarded $9.4M to Provide Foreclosure Help

Grant funds secured through the national mortgage settlement will be used to provide a wide range of assistance to California homeowners impacted by the state's foreclosure crisis. California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris announced 21 organizations were awarded funds through a $9.4 million grant.

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The funds will be used to provide or expand access to free legal assistance and representation, foreclosure intervention aid, homeowner education and financial literacy clinics, blight remediation services, fraud prevention education, and employment support services.

Grant recipients began program implementation immediately, according to the attorney general's office.

Many of the recipients focus on underserved populations most impacted by foreclosures, such as communities of color, agricultural workers, veterans, the disabled, and the elderly. Services are also offered in more than a dozen languages.

""The foreclosure crisis has inflicted wide-ranging and deep harm to California homeowners and communities,"" Harris said in a release. ""These grants will give homeowners and families the financial and legal tools they need to recover.""

In March, Harris ""announced"":http://dsnews.comarticles/national-housing-law-project-awarded-1m-grant-to-implement-california-homeowner-bill-of-rights-2013-03-29 a $1 million grant was awarded to implement the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. The funds went to the National Housing Law Project were also secured through the mortgage settlement.

An expert panel reviewed proposals and provided recommendations to help determine how funds would be distributed. Information about the expert panel and grant application process is available ""online."":http://oag.ca.gov/grants.