The Mortgage & Consumer Finance Law Group
is a post-graduate group that focuses on assisting low
and moderate-income homeowners to prevent foreclosures
and resolve consumer finance issues. Begun in 2015, the
group consists of Director Joanna Medrano and several Fellows who
work closely with clients.
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| Left to right: Nick Bielat
(Fellow), Shawn Gerrits (Law Graduate), Joanna
Medrano (Director), and Natasha Artemieva
(Fellow). |
The group provides clients with a variety of
services including filing bankruptcies, filling out loan
modifications, correcting mortgage accounting errors,
researching property liens, drafting and recording
deeds, requesting loan assumptions and numerous other
related issues.
To date, the Mortgage Group has provided
services to over 75 clients and is on track to serve 100
clients for the first year of the program.
According to Joanna, examples of cases
include:
An
elderly couple who was at serious risk of foreclosure.
They had unsuccessfully tried to get a modification and
came to the Mortgage Group for assistance. We were able
to help them through the entire process and get a
successful modification. They came current with their
mortgage and were able to get through their trial period
despite continued family difficulties.
A
couple from Yuma was facing an impending foreclosure
date. We were able to file an emergency Chapter 13
bankruptcy to stay the Trustee Sale and are continuing
to work with the clients to ensure a feasible payment
that will allow them to pay the arrears and to stay in
their home.
A
gentleman who owned a home with his brother was
unlawfully sued for eviction. The Mortgage Group
represented him to secure his rights and maintain his
residency. He was then able to continue working on his
relationship with his brother and to work toward
maintaining the home.
The Mortgage Group has strong working
relationships with housing counselors at a number of
local non-profits and has been able to refer several
clients for assistance through the Save Our Home Arizona
program. Additionally, the group continues to work
closely with the local VA One-Stop and Pima County
Housing Services with whom they share office space on
the western edge of downtown Tucson. (Read
more about their strategic location and relationships here.)
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The
Mortgage Group moves into its downtown space
to provide better access for
clients.
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The Mortgage Group is currently funded by the
Arizona Attorney General through December
2016 and will continue to employ several Fellows. The
Mortgage Group also has externships available in Spring
2016 to allow students to participate in their
activities and learn more about mortgage, consumer
finance, and bankruptcy law. We are currently seeking
funding to continue the group after 2016.
If you
would like to learn more about the Mortgage Group,
please contact their staff at 520-626-4093 or law-housing@email.arizona.edu. And, if
you know of anyone facing a foreclosure or in need of
legal advice pertaining to home ownership or a mortgage,
please call them as well.
You can also learn more about the
Mortgage Group in this video.
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