Turning up the Volume: Page 4 Brooklyn A’S Foreclosure Prevention Unit Expands Legal Services During Housing Crisis

Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A

Spring 2009

Inside:

Equal Justice for All page 2

Former HPD Commissioner Shaun Donovan and NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn with Brooklyn A Project Director and Chief Counsel Marty Needelman and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Advisory Committee Member Terri Thomson and Bed Stuy Restoration Executive page 3 Director Corwin Grannum during a Foreclosure Prevention Press Conference. Photo credit: Mel Wright Mel Photo credit:

Celebrating 40 Years! Turning Up The Volume: page 4 Brooklyn A’s Foreclosure Prevention Unit Expands Legal Services During Housing Crisis

Jason Portwood Hipp assisting Ms. Jones in negotiations to modify the mortgage to an affordable and sustainable Ms. Jones* is one of the lucky ones – if you amount. can consider losing equity of more than $150,000 a stroke of luck. Ms. Jones, a moth- Mr. Ramirez* had been attempting to modify er of four adopted children facing foreclo- the terms of his home loan prior to a referral sure, was offered a deal purporting to assist to Brooklyn A by a housing counselor at a her with saving the deed to her home. After- local community organization. Mr. Ramirez Expanding CED in NYC wards, Ms. Jones learned the deal was offered had been stuck with a “balloon payment” page 6 by one of the many foreclosure rescue scam – a mortgage loan structured to pay small artists using the mortgage crisis as a business amounts of interest in the beginning before opportunity. Thinking she was signing docu- the complete payment is owed after a limited ments for financial assistance and a modified period of time. Mr. Ramirez had unsuccess- mortgage, she was actually the victim of a fully attempted to modify the loan, but the scam that transferred the property’s deed to monthly payments he was being offered were a third party. With the help of Brooklyn Le- far in excess of his means, particularly after gal Services Corporation A (Brooklyn A)’s losing rental income. After he filed a pro se Anti-Predatory Lending/Foreclosure Preven- legal document drafted by Brooklyn A for tion Unit, Ms. Jones filed a complaint against his foreclosure case, the bank offered him the phony buyer and the mortgage company a loan modification three weeks later with terms he could meet. this past summer, and by the Fall the deed was returned to her. Although this was an The successes achieved by Ms. Jones and unusually swift success, Brooklyn A is still Mr. Ramirez come as a result of Brook- See Foreclosure, Page 7 BUILDING COMMUNITIES * Names of clients have been altered to protect privacy. ENSURING OPPORTUNITY ACHIEVING JUSTICE Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, Equal Justice For All, President providing high-quality neighborhood-based civil legal services to low-income individuals and groups in North and East Brooklyn Obama, & “Brooklyn Planning” since 1968. Marty Needelman in the borough, and somehow that prede- Brooklyn A Project Director & Chief Counsel termination has been made without any Project Director & Chief Counsel ecent years have been especially prob- description or detail of that “inadequacy” Martin S. Needelman Rlematic for programs attempting to nor any explanation how the “inadequacy,” however that might be defined, substan- General Counsel provide legal representation to low in- Paul J. Acinapura come people, the communities in which tially differs from everywhere else. Some they live, and the local groups who serve voices believe that the Brooklyn Planning Director, Administration & Finance Joshua D. Hoffman them. Lack of support for “legal services process is a pretext toward a more cen- for the poor” by the Bush and Pataki Ad- trally controlled decision making system Board of Directors ministrations and by the U.S. and state in lieu of the current decentralized and Valarie A. Hing, Chair coordinated system. James H.R. Windels, Vice-Chair senates reduced funding for Brooklyn Le- Harvey Lawrence, Treasurer gal Services Corporation A (Brooklyn A) Indeed, Brooklyn has five programs, three Robert E. Crotty, Secretary Musa Abdul-Basser and programs like ours dramatically below rooklyn of these (B A, South Brooklyn Jane N. Barrett the levels going back over 15 years ago. Any Legal Services and Bedford-Stuyvesant Le- Mirta M. De Jesus honest analysis, would have to conclude gal Services) with separate Boards of Di- Matthew Fishbein that the oft articulated vision of our legal Harold Green rectors that reflect the community based Joseph Lipofsky system providing “Equal Justice for All,” services of those programs, and which Frances Lucerna that Americans take so much pride in, is maintain four neighborhood based offices Moronke Oshin-Martin - at best - self deception. However, recent (the other two Brooklyn programs are Anne Pilsbury changes at both the federal and state lev- Saul B. Shapiro LS-NYC Brooklyn Office and the Brook- Thomas McC. Souther els, particularly the election of President lyn Family Defense Project). Although Rev. Peter A. Mahoney, Emeritus Obama, should give all those of us who tru- Brooklyn is by far the largest borough by Arthur Bates, Emeritus ly care about the deficiencies in resources population (if independent, would be the Advisory Committee in the “legal services” world and otherwise 4th largest city in the US) and has the Honorary Co-Chairs in our system of justice, real reason for highest number of poor persons, the issue Barry H. Garfinkel hope of turning things around and moving Henry L. King transcends those logistics. Fundamentally, Robert MacCrate things in the right direction. That should the Brooklyn programs reflect a continu- Sargent Shriver be even more so, now that such big bucks ing commitment to the original, Sargent Haywood Burns 1940-1996 are being thrown around to “bail out” the Paul J. Curran 1933-2008 Shriver vision of a dynamic legal services Charles E. Inniss 1935-1997 US economy after its recent shocking col- program that both aggressively represents Hon. Harold R. Tyler, Jr. 1921-2005 lapse. We should have every hope that a families and individuals, and the commu- William A. Volckhausen 1937-2001 pittance of that (a couple of billion dollars nity organizations that serve them, all out Peter A. Cross, Co-Chair Gary S. Hattem Nelson Perez, Co-Chair Jean G. Leon or so at most) would go toward the fulfill- of neighborhood based, conveniently lo- ment of the dream and desperate need Alvin Adelman Frank J. Macchiarola cated and accessible offices. Henry P. Baer Kenneth J. Mahon for legal representation for low-income Maureen Bateman Rev. Peter A. Mahoney people. Yet, it is extremely disappointing I and many others believe that it is the Eileen Berkman Sam Marks and shocking that restoration and dra- right model, that that vision should be Carlos Cabrales William Mastro Evan A. Davis Jason Otano matically increased funding for these basic sustained, resurrected and expanded, and Brendan J. Dugan Vincent F. Pitta needs and goals of our democratic society that the recent trend to centralize and Thomas Early Mariadele Priest do not seem to be on the decision makers’ eliminate local offices and programs should Randy Estrada Patricia Ricketts Michael G. Flanigan Leslie B. Samuels current agenda! be reversed. Indeed it is our constant and Steven Flax Terri Thomson long-lasting presence in our neighbor- Caroline E. Forte Dean William Treanor Ironically, at this critical watershed mo- hoods which contributes to the strong Joseph E. Geoghan Grace Lyu Volckhausen ment in our history and for what should be Stephen L. Gordon Joseph Wayland relationship we have with the residents, the struggle for equal justice for all, leaders Michael Gugig community based organizations, social of the city wide legal services program (LS- service agencies and political representa- NYC) have decided to invest significant Brooklyn A News tives in these communities. written and produced by Brooklyn A staff, focus and human resources on “Brooklyn including Paul Acinapura, Josh Hoffman, Planning,” a process intended to evaluate At this crucial moment in the history of Rebecca Libed, Marty Needelman, and address the Brooklyn legal services the system of justice, it is time for both Jessica Rose, and Rick Wagner. Design by Tzvi S. Cohen delivery system. It has been concluded we and our society to put our priorities in that there is an “inadequacy of services” order!

2 Brooklyn A News Spring 2009 Brooklyn A Thanks Velázquez and Towns

rooklyn A presented plaques to Congresswoman Ny- Bdia Velázquez and Assemblymember Darryl C. Towns for our deep appreciation for their extraordinary support for our program and for our clients, long term, low-income residents struggling to remain in their homes and in their neighborhoods. Both elected officials have been instrumental in our ability to provide neighborhood-based civil legal services to low-income individuals and families throughout North and East Brooklyn, and to the nonprofit organizations that serve those communi- Photo credit: Evelyn Cruz Evelyn Photo credit: ties. We thank them for their many years of support! Thomson Terri Photo credit: Award Presentation to Towns (left) and Velázquez (right) Welcome Aboard!

andy Estrada has joined the Brook- nomic Development (CED) Unit so we InMotion and SeedCo on Rlyn A Advisory Committee. Randy is can continue to assist our clients develop various matters. He re- an Assistant Vice President at TD Bank and support their neighborhoods. ceived his JD from NYU and the Branch Manager of the Brook- School of Law and his BA lyn Heights Branch. He’s a veteran of the Starting in January 2009, Rafael Vasquez, from Yale. Prior to law banking industry having spent the past 15 an associate at the firm of Simpson school, he was a Jump- years at European Ameri- Thacher & Bartlett LLP joined the CED start Corps (Americorps) Rafael Vasquez can Bank, Independence Unit as a full time extern for a four month Headstart Teacher for a Community Bank, and rotation. As an associate at Simpson since summer. Rafael is the first extern of the Commerce Bank. Randy 2006, Rafael has served as issuer counsel new externship program between his firm and his team at the TD for high-yield debt offerings, hybrid debt and Brooklyn A’s CED Unit. We are very Charitable Foundation offerings, merger transactions and on-go- happy to have him join Brooklyn A in its recently gave a grant to ing securities regulation matters. His pro representation of non-profit organizations in North and East Brooklyn. Randy Estrada our Community and Eco- bono experience includes working with A Tree (and an Affordable Green Condo) Grows in Brooklyn n October 2008, Cypress Hills Local ment – the project incorporates cutting- development, and educational, after- IDevelopment Corporation (CHLDC), a edge design, energy efficiency, healthy school and community services for youth client and community partner of Brook- living and environmental stewardship. and families. CHLDC has developed over lyn A’s CED Unit for over two decades, Construction is expected to be completed 237 units of affordable housing in approxi- broke ground on the first affordable con- by Winter/Spring 2010. mately 65 buildings, with another 344 units dominiums to be built in its neighborhood The sales price of the condos will be par- in the pipeline (plus 7 commercial units of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. Named Glen- tially subsidized with HOME and Afford- and a 450-student capacity public school). more Grove, it is at the northeast corner able Housing Corporation (AHC) funds of Glenmore Avenue and Miller Avenue. Many of these renovated buildings are combined with a grant from the Brook- “This is a wonderful success story for the operated by CHLDC as rentals to low- lyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. Cypress Hills Local Development Corpo- income tenants; many are two-to-three The private construction lender is Capital unit small homes and, in the near future, ration,” said Executive Director Michelle One, NA. The AHC funds were secured condos for sale to eligible purchasers. In all Neugebauer. As the Brooklyn Eagle re- through the Housing Partnership Devel- ported in its article on the groundbreaking, opment Corporation (the Partnership). of its housing development work, as with “Cypress Hills LDC… fought long and hard The construction was also funded through many of its other programs, CHLDC has for the construction of affordable housing a predevelopment loan with been represented by Brooklyn A. in the area” (see Officials Break Ground the Local Initiative Support For Affordable Homes in East New York, Corporation and a bridge by Linda Collins, published online 10-16- loan from the Community 2008, available at http://www.brooklynea- Partnership Development gle.com/categories/category.php?id=23832). Corporation (a subsidiary of Glenmore Grove will consist of twelve the Partnership). 2- and 3-bedroom condos affordable to Since 1983, CHLDC has first time home buyers earning between worked to revitalize its 80-100% of the average median income. neighborhood through hous- Glenmore Grove also marks a significant ing preservation, economic stride in green affordable housing develop- Groundbreaking Ceremony for Glenmore Grove

Spring 2009 Brooklyn A News 3 Brooklyn A Celebrates 40 Years

t this year’s Annual Partnership the evening with introducing our Proj- Sextet, a critically acclaimed Latino AAwards Benefit, on November 13, ect Director and Chief Counsel Marty band, featuring world renowned per- 2008, Brooklyn Legal Services Corpora- Needelman, and General Counsel Paul cussionist Candido Camero energized tion A (Brooklyn A) celebrated 40 years Acinapura, who presented awards to our Steiner Studios with its salsa and mambo. serving the communities of North and honorees for their strong commitment The evening closed with Brooklyn A’s East Brooklyn. Our annual event, once to public service and to Brooklyn’s low- Board Chair, Valarie A. Hing, acknowl- again, acknowledged Brooklyn A’s re- income communities. Former City Bar edging our 40 years of service to our markable Partnership for Community President Betsy Plevan of Proskauer clients, and reaffirming the Board and and Economic Development, the col- Rose, LLP, Dime Savings CEO Vinny staff’s commitment to our community- laboration of our lawyers with the vital Palagiano, El Puente’s Founder, Presi- based law practice. and amazingly effective community -or dent & CEO Luis Garden Acosta, and This annual event in support of our ganizations and corporate partners that our beloved late Denis Berger, each in Community and Economic Develop- are building, improving and sustaining their own way both personally and with ment work would not have been pos- the low income neighborhoods of North the organizations that they have been a sible without the generosity of our spon- and East Brooklyn which we have served big part of, reflect that commitment in sors for the night. We especially thank since 1968! vision and deed. our Platinum sponsors Davis Polk & Our Master of Ceremonies Fox 5 News The music for the evening kept the dance Wardwell, Dime Community Bank Anchor, Rosanna Scotto, started off floor full and vibrating. Bobby Sanabria Shares; Proskauer Rose LLP; and Skad-

4 Brooklyn A News Spring 2009 den, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP. 2009 Annual Partnership Award Honorees

We again would like to thank you Luis Garden Acosta is a national voice for hu- the Bank, and as Executive Vice President, for your generosity throughout man rights in the context of community build- Chief Operating Officer and Chief Lending these 40 years. Together we have ing. In 1982, he founded El Puente in his home Officer of the Bank. Prior to 1970, Mr. Pala- been able to represent community community of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For giano served in the real estate and mortgage groups that organize tenants, build the past 23 years, he has led El Puente as a departments at other affordable housing, expand access beacon for holistic learning and development, financial institutions to health care, and establish com- inextricably tied to the quest for peace and and title companies. munity-run senior centers, schools justice. Luis embodies a commitment to the Mr. Palagiano has also and daycare facilities. Brooklyn arts with a passion for science and a mission- served on the Board A, together with our grassroots ary zeal for peace and of Directors of the Boy partner organizations, help strug- justice. He is at once a Scouts of America, gling Brooklyn residents build not-for-profit CEO who Brooklyn Division since a brighter future. Our staff and is at home leading com- 1999, and served on Board have a continued commit- munity campaigns for the Boards of Directors ment to ensure access to justice for educational reform and of the Institutional Investors Capital Appre- Brooklyn’s lowest-income families environmental justice; ciation Fund from 1996 to 2006, and The Com- and communities. We thank each a Principal Investigator munity Banker’s Association of New York from one of our supporters throughout for federally funded, 2001 to 2005. the many years! scientific research; and an arts advocate who has chaired and found- Alice Berger and Sabrina Berger With ed diverse arts organizations. Marty Needelman and Paul Acinapura

Bettina B. Plevan is a partner in Proskauer Rose, LLP’s Labor and Employment Law De- partment and a member of its seven-person Executive Committee. She has built her practice handling all types of labor and employment litigation, as well as counseling clients in employment matters. Named by New York magazine as one of the “100 Best Lawyers in New York”, Betsy is also listed by National The firstDenis Berger Commemorative Award Law Journal as one of the 50 most influential was presented to family of Denis Berger. Our women lawyers in America and by Chambers dear friend Denis Berger passed away on Feb- USA as one of the best ruary 20, 2008. For over 15 years Denis served Top Row: Marty Needelman with labor and employment as our long term Director of Development and Honoree Betsy Plevan and her family; lawyers in the country. later Development consultant, but he was Rosanna Scotto; Dime Savings Bank She has also been rec- those things and so much more to all of us Staff; Staff Attorneys Roberto Marrero ognized by The Inter- here at Brooklyn A and to our program. Denis and Susan Barrie; Michael Cordozo, national Who’s Who of was instrumental in creating Brooklyn A’s Ad- NYC Corporation Counsel Management Labour & visory Committee and initiated and launched Employment Lawyers, Brooklyn A’s Annual Benefit. Denis also led Second Row: Brooklyn A Staff; and she is a fellow of the capital campaign that enabled Brooklyn A Maria Posner and Candido the College of Labor and to purchase the building that houses our Wil- Camero; Comptroller William C. Employment Lawyers. In addition to maintain- liamsburg office. Prior to Brooklyn A, Denis Thompson, Jr.; Board Member Saul ing her active practice, she recently completed was a founder of the Venceremos Brigade, Shapiro a two-year term as President of the New York a Cuba solidarity organization; and worked City Bar. as an organizer in Springfield, Mass. He was Third Row: Emily Blank and Michelle also Executive Director of the Nation Insti- Neugebauer, Cypress Hills LDC; Vincent F. Palagiano has served as the Chair- tute and co-founder of the United Electrical Brooklyn A Staff; Rosanna Scotto, man of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Workers Union, staff member of the New York Marty Needelman, Vincent of Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. since City Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Palagiano, Joshua D. Hoffman, Board 1989. He has served as a Trustee or Director an activist in the Puerto Rican independence Member James Windels of the Bank since 1978. Mr. Palagiano joined movement, and a mainstay of the New York the Bank in 1970 as an appraiser and has also Labor Chorus. served as President of both the Company and

Photo Credit: Photobureau

Spring 2009 Brooklyn A News 5 Expanding the CED Practice in NYC A collaboration between CUNY School of Law and Brooklyn A

By Min Chang Since 1976, Brooklyn A, led by Project Director Marty Needelman and General “My experience at Brooklyn A has been This year, in an effort to further their diverse and fulfilling. The process of cre- motto of “Law in the Service of Human Counsel Paul Acinapura, has made CED a major program priority. The CED Unit is ating affordable housing has provided me Needs”, CUNY School of Law has add- led by director Jessica Rose with the col- with an intensive transactional legal ex- ed the Community and Economic De- laboration of Mr. Acinapura; senior staff perience in a social justice context that is velopment Clinic (CEDC), broadening attorney Mike Haber; and Equal Justice influencing my future career goals. I have their existing clinical programs. Headed Works Fellow Nicole Prenoveau (and most learned a lot about structuring public and by Professor Carmen Huertas, CEDC recently Rafael Vasquez, a Simpson Th- private partnerships, federal and state builds on the small handful of schools in acher & Bartlett LLP extern). The CED subsidies, and the impact that this work New York City that currently offer clini- has on the lives of ordinary people.” Unit is unique as it is one of the only not- cal training in this developing area of law. —Ali Najmi for-profit, neighborhood-based, public in- At CUNY, the CEDC is a twelve credit terest legal services offices in the country to develop a sustained, substantial practice representing community-based organizations and community development corporations in low-income communities. Through their efforts they have been suc- cessful at facilitating the creation of new and rehabilitated housing, the empower- ment of tenants, the expansion of health, dental and childcare services, the development of community centers and nursing homes, and the creation of minority and Brooklyn A CED Unit with CUNY Law CEDC externs and Professor Huertas community owned businesses and jobs. However, despite the efforts and -suc “Beyond the hard work and competency clinic designed to provide students with cesses of both these organizations, there of our staff, Brooklyn A and its practice is an in-depth, robust, academic and prac- is still much more to be done. Therefore, grounded in our neighborhoods. We are tical experience. Twice a week, students by sharing in the rich experiences of the ourselves part of the fabric of the com- attend a three-hour seminar covering respective organizations, both CUNY munities we serve. This connection runs the nuts and bolts of community and and Brooklyn A hope to address these deeply through all of our work. It enables economic development (CED) lawyer- issues and further develop CED practice. us to better appreciate the nature of the ing that include theories and critiques To this end, members of the CED Unit problems our clients face and to under- of CED as a public interest practice. Ad- taught three seminar classes at CUNY, stand the importance and value of em- ditionally, students are assigned in-house including a class on negotiating and draft- powering a community to take control of projects and are placed at an externship. ing construction contracts, introducing its future. Our presence in our neighbor- Professor Huertas states that “this col- sustainable/ “green” building into CED, hoods for 40 years speaks loudly to our and negotiating and drafting commer- laboration enriches the students’ learn- clients and is one of the sources of the cial leases. Reciprocally, the CEDC sent ing experience by increasing the volume bonds of trust and respect which exist be- four students: Ali Najmi, Emily Langdon, and breadth of the complex transactional tween Brooklyn A and its CBO clients.” Noah Marmar, and myself, Min Chang; to matters that students handle. It provides —Paul Acinapura Brooklyn A for a semester-long extern- students an opportunity to assume the ship placement. role of independent lawyer as well as ef- “The practical experience I’ve received fective collaborator within a fast paced, In the end, it is clear to me the impor- from working at BROOKLYN A has been high volume legal services office.” In tance of the work that needs to be done invaluable in terms of quality supervision addition to the supervision the CEDC and the positive impact CED has on the and substantive work. I’ve had the oppor- students received at their externships, many families within these communities. tunity to take the lead on drafting organi- Professor Huertas provided extensive As I reflect on my first client meeting, I zational and tax documents for a commu- complimentary supervision aimed to realize that like the community groups nity based organization doing amazing help guide reflections on lawyering ap- they serve, Brooklyn A and the CEDC work in Brooklyn.” proaches and the choices made through- are taking innovative steps to do some- —Emily Langdon out the representation of clients. thing about the issues that plague these communities…now it is my turn!

6 Brooklyn A News Spring 2009 From Foreclosure, Page 1 communities with predominantly minor- cases when defendants offer no defense ity populations, including East New York, or fail to attend the proceedings. When a lyn A’s increased legal activity during Brownsville, Bushwick and Bedford- defendant instead files a pro se document the mortgage crisis. With the addition Stuyvesant, the areas where Brooklyn A explaining the case in proper technical of three full-time attorneys and an ad- is concentrating the bulk of its services. and legal terms, the financial institution ditional paralegal over the last year, the Predatory lenders target families with the may decide that a loan modification – al- Foreclosure Prevention Unit now offers least amount of financial and legal litera- lowing the homeowner to remain in their legal representation services to a greater cy. “We are the canary in the coal mine,” home – will be more cost-effective than number of clients than ever before. said Rick Wagner, Director of Litigation a lengthy foreclosure proceeding. Mort- The services are sorely needed: foreclo- for Brooklyn A, who considers the fore- gage loans are often extremely complex; sures have risen 25 percent since last year closure issue as much a civil rights issue even judges can have trouble determining and more than three times their level just as a consumer fraud issue. “Our clientele in a reasonable period of time the true three years ago. Although the foreclo- are the first people to be affected when meaning or effect of certain provisions. the house of cards starts to fall.” sure rate is lower in New York than other By reviewing the terms of the loan care- major cities, the number of high-cost fully, the Foreclosure Prevention Unit loans originated in the City has increased often identifies defects that implicate steadily since 2004, and the number of the loan’s very validity. The lack of at- lis pendens filings – the legal notice of in- tention to detail in the loan securitiza- tent to initiate foreclosure proceedings – tion process, which bundles thousands of reached 15,000 in 2007 and was expected mortgages together in a “pool” in which to surpass 20,000 for 2008. it sells shares to investors, a process that Although the rate of foreclosures is in resulted in huge profits for commercial itself a concern, it is often accompany- and investment banks, becomes crucial ing circumstances that most harm hom- in legal proceedings on behalf of clients. eowners. Foreclosure rescue scam artists, Repeated transfer of complex mortgage like the one who attempted to scam Ms. loans from one holder to another often Jones, scour public foreclosure filings and occurred without the proper accompa- inundate victims with offers purporting nying documents or adherence to legal to save their homes, only to steal the title As part of its foreclosure prevention ef- technicalities, and these deficiencies can and strip hundreds of thousands of dol- forts, Brooklyn A is assisting clients in be identified with enough scouring by a lars of equity. Banks routinely pay outside three ways: by offering legal counsel, re- legal professional. companies to service mortgages; those ferrals and general advice to direct strug- Unfortunately, some victims fault them- servicers receive a significantly higher gling homeowners in the right direction; selves for their foreclosure problems. “It fee for their services if the mortgage is fully representing some clients, targeting can be a shameful thing for people; they in foreclosure than if it is performing its selection by choosing “impact litiga- are embarrassed that they’ve gotten into normally. These servicers are, therefore, tion” cases with the possibility of affect- a bad deal or been scammed,” said Joseph often reluctant to modify mortgages and ing a large number of other cases; and Sanders, Staff Attorney in Brooklyn A’s restore them to performing status be- direct foreclosure defense, often through Foreclosure Prevention Unit. It is impor- cause this results in a substantial reduc- the drafting of legal documents that assist tant to remember that victims are not tion of fees received by the servicer. homeowners representing themselves. alone – millions of families across the According to the federal Department The latter area represents the bulk of country have been trapped in similar sit- of Housing and Urban Development Brooklyn A’s increased efforts. Finan- uations – and that these financial trans- (HUD), Brooklyn was for years a “hot cial institutions consider foreclosure fil- actions can be extraordinarily difficult to zone” for predatory lenders, who typical- ing the most cost-effective way to handle understand, even for professionals in the ly found it easiest to target low-income financial market. If you are a victim of predatory lending and/or your home is about to be foreclosed, call Brooklyn A’s Foreclosure Prevention Unit at 718-487-1300.

Spring 2009 Brooklyn A News 7 Brooklyn Legal Services NON-PROFIT ORG. Corporation A U.S. POSTAGE PAID New York, N.Y. Brooklyn A Permit No. 8629 Offices

Shriver Tyler MacCrate Shriver Tyler MacCrate Center for Justice Center For Justice Williamsburg Office 256-260 Broadway 256-260 Broadway Brooklyn NY 11211 Brooklyn NY 11211 Address Service Requested 718 487-2300 Fax: 718 782-6790

East Brooklyn Office 80 Jamaica Avenue Brooklyn NY 11207 718 487-1300 Fax: 718 342-1780

Bushwick Office 1455 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn NY 11237 718 487-0800 Fax: 718 326-2944

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