WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Patricia Roberts Harris National Fair Housing Training Academy (NFHTA) announced a new education initiative to address fraudulent, predatory and unfair lending practices of some mortgage lenders.  The Academy and HUD’s Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) partners will provide a series of free public seminars in eight cities across the country to help educate the public on lending issues and how to avoid foreclosure.  

John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, will officially launch the initiative at the Southern California kickoff event on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 9 a.m. at the Marina del Rey Hotel,

                NFHTA and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition developed the two-to-three day seminars to be held in Cleveland, OH; Fort Worth, TX; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Philadelphia, PA; Salt Lake City, UT; and Stockton, CA.  Spanish interpreters will be available for each seminar.  Seminar topics include: 

Ø       Mortgage Lending Discrimination and Predatory Lending;

Ø       Financial Aspects of Lending;

Ø       Foreclosure Prevention; and

Ø       Borrower/Buyer Beware.

“In order to combat discriminatory lending and fraud, community advocates must be armed with education, training, and strategies to help the public,” said John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.  “These seminars will allow participants to begin to obtain advice and, if necessary, file fair housing complaints.”

“Education and training are the keys to preparing individuals and professionals to deal with the current lending crisis,” said Percy Thomas, Executive Director of NFHTA. “I encourage both professionals in fair housing and individuals who are interested in the lending crisis to attend these trainings.”

Participants will receive practical, hands-on experience with the lending process, using actual loan documents and paperwork.  All seminars are free and open to the public on a first-come first-serve basis.  Individuals, agencies or organizations interested in attending a lending seminar must register online via http://www.nfhta.org.

HUD established the Patricia Roberts Harris National Fair Housing Training Academy in 2004 as the premier national training institution providing comprehensive fair housing and civil rights training and education.  NFHTA provides fair housing and civil rights training that federal, state, and local agencies, educators, attorneys, industry representatives and other housing industry professionals need to enforce fair housing laws and eliminate housing discrimination.  The FHAP provides grants annually on a noncompetitive basis to equivalent State and local fair housing enforcement agencies that help protect families and individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination.

For more information on the Academy’s Fair Lending Initiative seminars email Ms. M. Fuller via email at mfuller@nfhta.org.

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HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

HUD No. 09-183                                                                     

Shantae Goodloe                                                                     

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