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Free Legal Help For Those Facing Foreclosures

DEARBORN (WWJ) - Those on the verge of losing their homes are being offered free legal help Saturday in Dearborn.

Steve Babson of the group People Before Banks said they are offering a free legal clinic for those who don't feel they're getting help from their banks.

"Our assessment of it is that very often, the banks would rather foreclose and collect the federal insurance that they can access through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on many of these mortgages. So, they don't really want to modify the mortgage, they would rather foreclose," Babson said.

The People Before Banks Coalition is an alliance of labor, faith, and community groups, working to put an end to foreclosures and to the fraudulent and criminal behavior of banks.

"Folks, particularly if they've had trouble with employment, if they've lost their job or had their hours cut back and are now suddenly in real economic straits, they are finding the banks are not all that cooperative, in terms of modifying loans and doing whats necessary to keep people in their homes," Babson said.

According to Babson, many people who are in default, or even already are in the foreclosure sale period may find there is help they aren't aware of.

"If they are in default, if the foreclosure proceedings have begun, if a foreclosure sale has occurred and they're in the redemption period, all of these folks might still find that they have some options that perhaps they weren't aware of and these are lawyers who are very experienced in doing everything they can to try to keep your homes," Babson said.

The clinic takes place June 4 at the UAW Local 600 on Dix Avenue at Vernor Highway in Dearborn between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.

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