1. Josh Fuhrman: SVP, Community Relations
Bring Workers Home Forum
December 1st, 2011

2. Who We Are
• Founded in 2003, the Homeownership
Preservation Foundation is a 501(c)(3)
independent national nonprofit dedicated to
reducing foreclosures and preserving
homeownership for American homeowners
• HPF provides a comprehensive foreclosure
prevention counseling service available to the
homeowner for free by calling 888-995-HOPE™

3. Who we Are
• The Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline is offered by a
network of 8 HUD-approved non-profit
counseling agencies and 600 counselors, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• Since 2003, the Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline
has handled over 6,000,000 million calls and
counseled over 1,000,000 homeowners
• In 2011, we continued to average over 4000
calls per day

4. MHA Call Center and Hotline Counseling
• This service is free to homeowners
• We have the capacity to respond in 170
languages
• 70% of the homeowners who call want to
speak to a counselor
• We have 50 responders in the call center;
in addition there are 600 counselors
standing by
• HPF counselors connect homeowner to
their servicers over 75% of the time

5. The Hotline offers homeowners a choice
• Every caller who wants a counselor is offered the choice
of
receiving the service on the phone or in person.
o If they choose in person, our locator data base populated by 800
HUD approved counseling agencies, identifies the three
agencies nearest the caller.
• 95% of them choose to receive the service on the
telephone because
1. It is convenient. They can get it anytime of the day or
night. We counseled 85 homeowners on Christmas
Day.
2. Some borrowers experience shame in their situation
and the telephone provides a measure of anonymity.
3. For rural homeowners, this is their best option

6. What We Do
Call Center
Counseling
Data submitted
Client action plan
Connection to to HopeNet and
written and sent
servicer retrieved by
to home owner
servicer
• 6 million calls received since 2003;
• Over 1,000,000 homeowners counseled
• 75% of counseled home owners connected to servicer

7. Borrower Experience

8. Consumer Outreach
• With the announcement of President Obama’s
MAKING HOME AFFORDABLE program in
March, 2009, HPF was honored to become the
nation’s hotline, help to determine program pre-
eligibility for homeowners and provide
counseling that prepares them to take
advantage of MHA
• 4 National Public Service Campaigns
– Over 35,000 media outlets
– Endorsed on over 120 congressional websites

9. Facts and trends in the current environment
• 71% of the callers report that loss of income due to underemployment
or unemployment is their primary reason for default.
• 44% of the callers have an annual gross income of less than $40,000
•The average amount of unsecured debt is approx. $18,000
• 17% of those who qualified for HAMP had back end Debt to Income
ratios greater than 55%
•250 homeowners per week feel they’ve been the victim of a scam
•7% of the consumers who call us are suicidal
•71% of homeowners who receive counseling are still in their homes a
year later

10. Counselor and Consumer Resources
•United Way/211
•Suicide/mental health counseling
•Credit counseling
•Legal resources
•Servicers
•GSE’s (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac)
•Govt (Treasury, HUD)

11. How a the counseling works

12. Consumer Need
Our consumer surveys tell us that:
• Consumers are confused, frustrated, scared, anxious, angry and depressed with their
housing situation prior to calling the Hotline
• Consumers often do not understand how to navigate through the various programs
offered by the Government and their servicers
• Consumers are seeking assistance in dealing with their servicer
• Consumers are looking to someone to turn to whom they can trust
• Consumers indicate they are satisfied even if they do not receive the loss mitigation
option they sought, as long as they receive explanations and are treated fairly
How Counseling Helps:
• Counselors use actively listen to the consumer with empathy in an effort to ease their
worry and stress
• Loss mitigation options and program guidelines are explained and confirmed for
understanding
• Counselor-facilitated contact to the servicer via a three-way conference call is offered
based on the consumer’s unique situation
• Counselors confirm consumers understanding of next steps and solidify through a
written action plan that often includes additional referrals to helpful resources for
further assistance
page

13. Contact Information
Josh Fuhrman
SVP, Community Relations
jfuhrman@995hope.org
612-230-4024