University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact - Suzanne Dennik, 414-290-2400, suzanne.dennik@ces.uwex.edu

Educators, government representatives, bankers, attorneys, economists, housing experts and policymakers will pool their knowledge and resources to help build an effective community response to the growing problem of foreclosures in Wisconsin.

"Wisconsin Moves Forward to Address Foreclosures," sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), will be held at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha on March 13.

Experts from many different fields will share ideas and best practices for easing the economic impact of foreclosures in Wisconsin.

Three concurrent educational training sessions will delve extensively into loss mitigation, the foreclosure litigation process and mortgage rescue fraud scams and schemes.

Bonnie Boards of Chase Bank will lead a session on loss mitigation training and Brad Geary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will train participants in mortgage rescue fraud.

"These sessions present a rare opportunity for non-profits, since foreclosure education is generally very expensive to obtain," says Suzanne Dennik, UW-Extension Consumer and Housing Education Coordinator and one of the conference organizers. The conference registration fee is $45 and $35 for participants from non-profits.

Thomas James, Senior Assistant Attorney General of Illinois will give the keynote address on predatory lending from a legal perspective and provide insights into drafting legislation that addresses financial abuses.

Three task forces are open to new members and will discuss specific actions to create an effective community response:

• Options and Outreach will work to provide appropriate, timely financial information to Wisconsin consumers.
• Stabilization and Maintenance, led by Dennik, will focus on developing solutions for a solid-post-purchase program for Wisconsin homeowners to promote long-term financial stability.
• Financial Options and Strategies will explore ways to complement existing solutions to prevent foreclosures.

For more about the conference agenda and registration, go online to http://www.chicagofed.org/community_development