Save Your Home Hotline Taking Calls

Millions of homeowners face sharply increased costs as adjustable rate mortgages reset. Combined with stagnant or falling home prices, risky lending and the loss of good jobs, foreclosure rates are skyrocketing to record levels. The American Dream of homeownership is quickly turning into a nightmare for many.

The Union Plus Save My Home Hotline can help union members, their parents and their children weather the financial storm. The program provides information, advice and assistance.

Help is Only a Phone Call Away

The Union Plus Save My Home Hotline (1-866-490-5361) helps members find answers and advice to get their financial house in order. HUD-certified counselors are available 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.  In addition to telephone counseling, face-to-face counseling at more than 100 local offices in 22 states and the District of Columbia is also available.

Free and Confidential

Counseling offered by the Save My Home Hotline is free and confidential. The counselors at Money Management International (MMI), the nation's largest full-service nonprofit credit counseling agency, are ready to help. MMI also provides the Union Plus Credit Counseling service.

Customized Plans

Financial arrangements are never a one-size-fits-all deal. The Hotline's HUD-certified counselors discuss the member's unique financial circumstances, including income, credit card balances and monthly bills – every piece of the financial puzzle.  Then they'll work with the member to establish a budget, set financial priorities and explain all the strategies available to help them meet their mortgage payments. Members will receive a written Homekeeper Action Plan outlining the steps they need to follow after their counseling session.

Help When Facing Foreclosure

If the member is having problems making payments, the counselor will review all of the available options for working with the lender. The lender may be able to restructure the loan to a fixed rate, for example, or allow the member to make smaller payments for a limited period of time (those payments will be added to the loan balance, though).  If necessary, the counselor will make referrals to other resources or alternatives such as a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (where the home is essentially turned back over to the lender). The member will leave the session with a Homekeeper Action Plan outlining actions they need to follow.

Preserving Home Ownership and Savings Education Strategy Grants

Qualified homeowners who are experiencing temporary financial distress causing them to be past due on their mortgage loan are eligible for grants of up to $5,000 to bring the mortgage current under an MMI grant program established with a $1 million dollar endowment from HSBC, the Union Plus Credit Card provider.

Those who are accepted into the program receive debt, budget and mortgage delinquency counseling, tailored financial education and on-going counseling for a full year.

To qualify homeowners:

• Must live in California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada or New York
• Must be at least one payment past due and no more than two payments past due (not including the current month's payment due) on their mortgage.
• The cause of the financial hardship must be unavoidable. Reasons include unemployment, reduced income, medical expenses, a death in the family, an adjustable rate mortgage loan that has reset making the new monthly payment unaffordable, auto accident, caring for relatives, child support issues.
• The financial hardship must be temporary and the homeowner must demonstrate the ability to pay their mortgage on time going forward.
• The household's budget must not contain a deficit, demonstrating the ability to pay all obligations.
• The applicant must complete an online educational course and download an online grant application.

Who's Eligible?

Members of unions participating in the Union Plus benefits, their parents and their children may use this program.

Member Access

Counselors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members can call 1-866-490-5361 or visit www.UnionPlus.org/SaveMyHome.