Columbia, SC (WLTX)- In recognition of National Fair Housing Month, the City of Columbia's Community Development Department will hold a foreclosure prevention and fair housing expo on Tuesday, April 26,2011.
The South Carolina State Housing Authority will partner with the city on the effort by providing information on the various programs available to help struggling homeowners.
"This is going to be really covering every aspect of homeownership," said Clayton Ingram, spokesperson for the SC State Housing Authority. "[Information like] How to buy a home, how to get into a home using South Carolina State Housing Authority mortgages and also a lot of emphasis on foreclosure prevention. We've recently gotten a large amount of money from the treasury that we can use to keep people in their home."
South Carolina received almost $300 million in federal money to fund efforts like the South Carolina Help Program, which uses the dollars to pay for the mortgage. It's a program that one Midlands Mom said is a blessing after losing her job.
Marion Utsey-Staggers applied for the South Carolina Help program and was approved.
"It's really good to know that programs like this exist," said Utsey-Staggers, who is now employed at the University of South Carolina.
Her acceptance was based primarily on her history of being a responsible borrower and the ability to provide the necessary documentation.
"[Documents such as] pay stubs, or if they receiving unemployment, their unemployment documentation," said Tanya Dash, with South Carolina Legal Services, an agency that assists homeowners on the application process. Dash said other items like a promisary note, deed and insurance documentation will also be required.
Dash helped Utsey-Staggers with the application process.
"[It gave] Her that one time payment to assist her and bring her mortgage current, which allowed her to pretty much get back on her feet and continue with a mortgage payment."
The mother of two said without the money, foreclosure would have become a reality.
"The thought of losing my home, I just can't even imagine," she said. "Owning a home has always been a dream of mine and I've owned my home now for close to seven years."
"We're keeping these neighborhoods from falling apart, from homes going empty from people having to move," said Ingram. "And we're just kind of giving a safety net right now. Sort of a life line while people seek reemployment and get back on their feet."
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