ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES, BPHA CAUCUS, SOUTHEAST QUEENS ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND IMPACTED HOMEOWNERS HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF NEW YORK STATE HOMEOWNER PROTECTION PROGRAM

(Queens, NY) - October 30, 2024 - Members of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus were joined by Attorney General Letitia James, legal service providers, homeownership counselors, and New York homeowners for a press conference highlighting the need to make the New York State Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) permanent. Administered by the office of the Attorney General, HOPP funds free legal assistance for vulnerable families facing foreclosure, predatory lending, housing discrimination, and real estate scams. The fund also provides homeowner retention counseling, loan modification services, and loss mitigation assistance. Since its creation, HOPP has helped hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers stay in their homes.

Southeast Queens was particularly hard hit by the foreclosure crisis that followed the housing market crash. In 2009 alone, over 2,000 homes in Southeast Queens were foreclosed on. The services of nonprofit organizations providing legal aid and loan assistance were vital to keeping families in their homes during that difficult time. The area still faces some of the highest rates of foreclosure in the United States.

The Homeowner Protection Program is funded by the New York state budget. The FY 2024-2025 budget invested $40 million into the program, which is intended as a short-term investment. Under legislation sponsored by Assemblymember Michaelle Solages and Senator Brian Kavanagh which passed the Assembly and Senate in June (A7636C/S7297C), HOPP would be made permanent in New York State, which would secure permanent funding for the program. Future generations of New York homeowners would have the security of knowing that HOPP will always be available to help if the need arises.

Permanent funding also provides certainty to the network of legal service providers and homeowner retention counselors that HOPP supports. Without the uncertainty of the budget process, these providers can plan for the future and work to expand their services to New Yorkers who need them.

As the cost of housing increases, New Yorkers must have access to HOPP for the foreseeable future. A home is one of the most valuable assets for any family and serves as the basis for generational wealth. For many families of color across the state that have faced historic barriers to owning a home, having resources available to fight discrimination and scams is invaluable.

New York Attorney General Letitia James said,  “As New Yorkers confront a housing crisis across the state, trusted support to help keep vulnerable people in their homes is more important than ever. For over a decade, my office has helped the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) provide free legal services to over 170,000 New Yorkers in every county of the state. HOPP’s partner organizations help stop foreclosures, lower homeowners’ bills, and prevent frauds like deed theft. I thank Senator Kavanagh, Assemblymember Solages, and the members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus for their leadership in this effort to codify HOPP into law.”

Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages, Chair of the NYS Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus, said, “The Homeowner Protection Program has provided vital assistance to homeowners across the state, allowing families to stay in their homes and hold onto their most valuable asset. Making HOPP permanent would allow these funds to be appropriated each year, giving homeowners, legal service organizations, and homeowner retention counselors the stability necessary to access and provide these services free of charge. Our most vulnerable New Yorkers, including the thousands of families in Southeast Queens who were hit hard by the foreclosure crisis, deserve a safety net that allows them to achieve and hold onto the dream of homeownership. I thank Attorney General James, Senator Kavanagh, my colleagues in the Caucus, and all the HOPP service providers for supporting this critical program and for standing up for homeowners in New York.”

"By making the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) a permanent part of New York’s housing support, we’re not just preserving homes—we’re safeguarding the stability of communities, especially in Southeast Queens and across Black and Brown neighborhoods. HOPP will empower our homeowners in Springfield Gardens, Queens, and families across Assembly District 31, who face among the highest rates of foreclosure in the county," says Assemblymember Khaleel M. Anderson. "Every dollar invested in HOPP saves New York fivefold in community costs, ensuring families understand and protect their rights to get the legal and financial support they need to stay home. Governor Hochul must sign this bill as an urgent step toward justice, economic strength, and securing futures for thousands of families."

"The New York State Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) has been a lifeline for residents who have invested their savings, dreams, and years of hard work into their homes, providing critical support to help them navigate the risks of foreclosure and predatory lending," said State Senator Leroy Comrie. "We’re calling for HOPP to receive permanent funding in the state budget, which would give our community lasting, accessible resources to protect what they’ve built. I’m proud to stand with Attorney General Letitia James, Assemblymember Michaelle Solages, my colleagues in the BPHA Caucus, and Southeast Queens elected officials in urging this essential protection for homeowners across our state."

Assemblymember Clyde Vanel said, “It is vital that New York families be provided with services to help them protect their homes and secure generational wealth. Making HOPP permanent will ensure that families, especially those in communities facing historic barriers, will have the resources to fight back against both discrimination and actions that could cause them to lose their homes.”

Jacob Inwald, Director of Litigation-Economic Justice at Legal Services NYC said, “HOPP is New York’s most effective tool for preserving existing affordable homeownership, and is its only tool for preventing deed theft and other scams targeting vulnerable homeowners at risk of mortgage and property tax foreclosure—primarily in communities of color that were historically excluded from homeownership by redlining.  While recently enacted improvements to the law provide some new protections to those who have already been victimized by deed theft scammers, to prevent these scams in the first place funding the network of trusted advocates is crucial. That network ensures that struggling homeowners do not fall prey to scammers and it provides trusted, free services that lead to home-saving solutions that preserve affordable homeownership and intergenerational wealth, averts displacement, and fosters neighborhood stability.” 

Oda Friedheim, Supervising Attorney in the Foreclosure Prevention Unit at The Legal Aid Society, said, "The Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) is critical for our clients and all homeowners to prevent foreclosures and protect low-income families' property and economic equity. We have seen too many of our clients lose homes that should have stayed within their families, stripping them of the ability to pass wealth from one generation to another, and we must allocate more resources to help New Yorkers. We commend Senator Kavanagh and Assemblymember Solages, lawmakers for passing this bill and call on Governor Hochul to sign it into law immediately."   

Lori Miller, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica, said, “HOPP Program funding for foreclosure prevention counseling has been an invaluable resource to housing counseling and legal services agencies like Neighborhood Housing Services of Jamaica, enabling us to provide foreclosure mitigation services to distressed homeowners.   Communities of color are often at a disadvantage when it comes to financial resources, which contributes to the homeownership gap. Foreclosure has a destabilizing effect on not only the family who loses their home, but the neighborhood as well.  Studies have shown that homeowners who received foreclosure mitigation counseling are more likely to obtain a mortgage modification and remain current on their mortgage after receiving one. Expanding and establishing  permanent funding for housing counseling and education programs can help address this gap by not only stabilizing homeowners who would have otherwise lost their homes but also by providing program participants with the opportunity to develop the skills needed to secure financial stability and homeownership.”