Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project is a collaborative statewide project involving several legal services programs. The Project is comprised of attorneys from 7 major legal services programs who will work as a statewide foreclosure prevention unit. The goal of the Project is to provide comprehensive and coordinated foreclosure prevention advocacy throughout the state by 1) providing direct legal representation to homeowners facing foreclosure, 2) providing support to housing counseling organizations, 3) coordinating policy advocacy on a statewide basis, and 4) providing training and technical support. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) will provide training and advocacy assistance. At this time, the MFPP funds 11 foreclosure specialist attorneys housed in legal services programs in every region of the state.
The Michigan Legal Services Programs participating in this Project are:
- Legal Aid and Defender Association
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan
- Legal Services of Eastern Michigan
- Legal Services of Northern Michigan
- Legal Services of South Central Michigan
- Michigan Legal Services
- Michigan Poverty Law Program
Support Services
The Project will provide the following services:
- National Training and Technical Support: Provided by the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)
- Statewide Support and Coordination of Advocacy: Provided by Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP)
- Direct Legal Representation: Provided by MI Legal Services Programs Foreclosure Prevention Attorneys (and MPLP Statewide Foreclosure Prevention Attorney)
- Support to Housing Counselors: Work with the Michigan Foreclosure Task Force to develop working relationships between housing counseling organizations and local legal services programs.
Current Project Funding
Currently, the Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project is funded by grants from the Ford Foundation, the Michigan State Bar Foundation, and by the National Mortgage Settlement Fund, as administered by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.