Mortgage Help Center Opens in Tampa, Florida

Fannie Mae Center Provides Free Education and Counseling to Local Homeowners Facing Hardship

Pete Bakel

202-752-2034

WASHINGTON, DC — Fannie Mae today announced the opening of the Tampa Mortgage Help Center to provide free education and counseling services to struggling homeowners in the Greater Tampa Bay area. The Tampa Center, the seventh Mortgage Help Center to open across the country, is part of Fannie Mae's nationwide initiative to educate families about the options and tools available to help them stay in their homes. The Center was developed in partnership with Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation, Greater Tampa Bay area community and local elected officials.

Services available at the Center include one-on-one consultations with experienced housing counselors to review mortgage loans and financing options, explain the range of options available, and help borrowers apply for loan workouts and other alternatives to foreclosure. Services are available in both English and Spanish.

"Fannie Mae is committed to doing everything we can to make sure homeowners facing hardships know the options available to them and have access to the help they need," said Jeff Hayward, Senior Vice President, National Servicing Organization, Fannie Mae. "We are excited to open another Mortgage Help Center to continue to provide services that empower homeowners to make informed decisions and help families stay rooted in their communities, a key part of our mission to bring stability to our nation's neighborhoods."

"Tampa Bay CDC is honored to be part of the effort undertaken by Fannie Mae to provide guidance and information to struggling homeowners in the Greater Tampa Bay Area," said Gregg Schwartz, President and CEO of Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation. "As a long-established housing counseling agency, we can appreciate the positive impact counseling and education can have on homeowners especially during these challenging times. This Mortgage Help Center will offer the valuable tools necessary to assist homeowners facing difficult situations in their lives."

In addition to providing counseling and access to mortgage education and financial literacy resources, the Mortgage Help Center staff will help homeowners coordinate with their mortgage servicers and ensure an efficient response time. The Center will also help to combat mortgage fraud and abuse in the Greater Tampa Bay area.

"Any additional resources that are brought to the region to help keep families in their homes are a benefit to the whole community," said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. "We are happy to join in today's announcement for the center's opening and encourage more efforts like this one that help bridge the gap in these difficult economic times."

The free services offered by the Mortgage Help Center are available for families who have a mortgage owned by Fannie Mae. Homeowners can determine if Fannie Mae owns their loan by visiting knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup or by contacting Fannie Mae at 1-800-7FANNIE. The Mortgage Help Center is available by appointment only and customers wishing to schedule a visit should call 866-442-8554.