NHS of Jamaica, Queens

“I lost my job in June 2009 for the first time ever after 20 years of working. My wife was also laid off. We started to fall behind on our mortgage and the bank intimidated us with countless letters. One month, I received 10 letters. I own a 2-family home with my wife and am trying to hold onto it. Luckily, I heard about NHS of Jamaica and I have been working here with my counselor Daniel and have received a forbearance and now we are trying to get another extension. I am looking for a job but they are difficult to find in the food business right now. More people should know about the free services of NHS. I think only 10% of the people around here know how much help you can get."

Hernan Delpino, Ozone Park, Jamaica, Queens, client of NHS of Jamaica

NHS of Jamaica, Queens

“I inherited my house from my mother and I grew up in this house. My husband and I did a lot of renovations to it and needed to take out a second mortgage. But, then I got ill and was not able to work for almost a year and medical bills started to add up. We fell behind on our mortgage and went to our bank several times to ask for a loan modification, but we got no help. My husband went online to search for assistance, but ended up contacting a scammer. This company asked us for $1,000 upfront, which we paid over the phone with a credit card. The representative said that he would be in touch to set up an appointment to help us with our mortgage. He also told us not to pay our mortgage any more, so that it would be easier for them to help us. We stopped paying and fell further behind. But that rep never called again, they just disappeared. We heard from a friend that they had gotten help at NHS of Jamaica and we called them. We visited the center and our counselor is in the process of getting in touch with our lender and we will also get free legal advice.”

Veronica Prescott-Ramos and Steven Ramos of Queens Village, NY, client of NHS of Jamaica

NHS of Jamaica, Queens

“I have owned a two-family home in Queens Village for 18 years. I have fallen behind my mortgage badly and I need advice on how to follow up with my lender with all the documents that are needed. I have received a modification packet but everything takes such a long time. My counselor Cerinelly here is encouraging me to call my bank every two weeks to check on the status. I am hoping that the modification will lower my payments to an affordable level as I only work part-time now because my hours got reduced. My income went from $800 a week to only $200 and I also have a daughter who is in college.”

Sonia Perlaza, Queens Village, Queens, client of NHS of Jamaica

Flatbush Development Corporation & NHS of East Flatbush, Brooklyn

“I have been coming to both centers for about year now. Bad times hit me when I went on disability and my income was severely reduced because of my job loss. I was approached by scammers, who scared me as they would want to set up an account and asked for my social security number. I know people who have been scammed for mortgages and even for their immigration papers in order to get a US citizenship. Originally, I came to receive food stamps and help with my veteran benefits in the HEAP Assistance Program. I got my first trial loan modification from NHS of East Flatbush for my 2-family house, which I have owned for over 30 years with my family. My payments have gone from $2,500 to $1,100, which is a huge help. I have told all my friends and neighbors about the help I am getting. The counselors here take their time and treat people the way I want to be treated.”

CAMBA, Brooklyn

“My wife and I have received help from CAMBA with a lot of different services from my wife’s citizenship to our mortgage. We own a 2-family in Canarsie. I am a yellow cab driver and not making the same money I used because of the economy and the competition from more livery cabs on the roads. My house got a lot of problems and I need to be able to fix the leaking roof and the windows. My counselor is trying to see if I would qualify for the HAMP program to get a loan modification and repayment plan. There is a lot of paperwork needed as I am self-employed.”

Aliadji Ouattara, Canarsie, Brooklyn, client of CAMBA

Chhaya CDC, Queens:

“I have defaulted on my loan and I am facing foreclosure. I applied for a repayment plan twice and have not gotten approved, so that I would make payment on both the interest and principle. I did not understand the terms of the loan that originally was given from my lender – it was a subprime, an interest-only, adjustable hybrid loan. I have owned my one-family house for 4 years. I make sushi packages for supermarkets and business is really down. In addition to not being able to pay my mortgage, I have gotten into credit card debt. I tried to fix that and contacted a company that I heard advertising on the radio. But this was a scam – they took my money but never consolidated my debt. Now, I am in over my head. Chhaya’s counselors are trying to see if I could qualify for the New York’s Neediest Fund for help in my situation.”

Yudis Genero, Elmhurst, Queens, client of Chhaya CDC

Staten Island Legal Services, Staten Island

“I was approved for a loan modification in July when I first appeared in court, but I never received the loan modification packet in the mail. I tried calling the lender several times but got nowhere, and I ended up going back to court in the end of August. After two hours on the phone, we finally reached the right person at the bank. He told the attorney that the lender was backlogged. It is so hard to get information and especially correct information. Thank heavens for Legal Services of Staten Island who helped me with the court proceedings because I can’t afford a private attorney.”

Dolores Galloway, Staten Island, client of Staten Island Legal Services