Save the Dream Ohio : Stats, Facts & Accomplishments
  • Save the Dream – Ohio’s Foreclosure Prevention Effort
  • To do everything in its power to assist Ohioans so they can stay in their homes, Ohio has established a strong, multi-agency foreclosure prevention effort that involves outreach, foreclosure counseling, legal assistance, foreclosure mediation, and neighborhood stabilization. A summary of Ohio’s accomplishments to date is below.
  • Created a Unified Statewide Response to Foreclosures
  • Governor Ted Strickland established the Foreclosure Prevention Task Force in March 2007 to provide a unified and coordinated statewide response to the dramatic increase in foreclosures in Ohio. Governor charged task force to create the appropriate model of foreclosure prevention, intervention and strategies to assist distressed mortgages. The Task Force report and recommendations submitted to the Governor on September 10, 2007. Read the Task Force’s Report
  • Established a Compact Between Mortgage Servicers and the State
  • After extensive negotiations, Ohio and nine mortgage servicers agreed upon six principles, which led to an April 2008 ceremony in which Governor Strickland, Director Zurz and nine mortgage loan servicers signed a "Compact to Help Ohioans Preserve Homeownership." This was the first agreement of its kind in the nation.
  • Organized and Facilitated Financial Support for Counseling
  • Save the Dream Ohio works with 37 housing counseling agencies throughout Ohio, has provides funding to these agencies with over $7.5 million in grants administered by the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA). That funding makes housing counseling available throughout the state. Since the launch of Save the Dream Ohio, more than 63,000 Ohioans have received foreclosure counseling or legal assistance from Save the Dream Ohio partner agencies.
  • Introduced New Loan Programs
  • OHFA and the ODOD Office of Housing and Community Partnerships launched the Ohio Home Rescue Fund Program in 2007. This program provides financial assistance for homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments due to unforeseen, temporary life circumstances. The Ohio Home Rescue Fund has assisted 762 households consisting of approximately 2,056 persons from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2008.

  • In March 2008, OHFA introduced its "Ohio Heroes" program for first-time homebuyers who are active military personnel or military veterans, firefighters, EMT’s/paramedics, health care workers, police officers or teachers. The loans are for 30 years at a fixed rate.
  • Coordinated Legal Assistance
  • More than 1,375 attorneys have committed to provide pro bono legal services to qualifying homeowners in their area in need. Additionally, 131 Assistant Attorneys General representing approximately one-quarter of the total number of AAGs in the office have volunteered for Save the Dream Ohio.
  • Established Nationallly Recognized Foreclosure Mediation Program
  • The Ohio Supreme Court developed a mediation model program that courts can adapt to meet their local needs and resources. All 88 counties in Ohio now offer foreclosure mediation as an option. This first-of-its-kind model includes step-by-step directions to launch foreclosure mediation programs. The Supreme Court has provided free assistance to local courts to implement the model. More than 500 people participated in foreclosure mediation training in its first year.
  • Created the Save the Dream Ohio Hotline 888.404.4674
  • The Save the Dream Ohio Hotline connects Ohioans with HUD-certified housing counseling agencies and legal assistance through its call center. Hotline staff also directs callers to the Ohio Benefit Bank to help them determine whether they are eligible for other support to help lessen their financial burden. From March 13, 2008 to February 22, 2010, there were more than 52,000 calls to the hotline.
  • Created the Save the Dream Ohio Website
  • Save the Dream Ohio launched www.savethedream.ohio.gov as a one-stop resource for Ohioans seeking mortgage help. Since Save the Dream was announced on March 13, 2008 up to January 21, 2010, there have been more than 71,400 unique visitors to the website.
  • Reached At-Risk Households through Outreach
  • Borrower Outreach Days, which have attracted thousands of participants, give borrowers an opportunity to meet with loan servicers to discuss options for avoiding foreclosure. To raise awareness of Save the Dream Ohio, radio and television advertisements aired statewide through a partnership with the Ohio Association of Broadcasters. In addition, Save the Dream Ohio has used billboards, fliers, targeted mailings, news conferences, news releases, phone banks, interviews, and speeches.

    In February 2010, Save the Dream Ohio launched a grassroots outreach campaign to blanket the state with information about the state’s free resources for homeowners seeking to avoid foreclosure. The campaign, which is paid for by NFMC and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency, relies on the participation of housing counseling agencies, legal aid organizations, county offices of Job and Family Services, One-Stops, community action agencies, and community-based nonprofits. Campaign participants receive toolkits containing flyers, postcards, posters, door hangers, and magnets which they disseminate throughout the community at public facilities, local businesses, and community events. If your organization is interested in participating in the grassroots outreach campaign, please contact Stephanie Casey Pierce at savethedream@ohiohome.org.

    (Click here to see samples of Save the Dream Ohio campaign materials)
  • Addressed Vacant and Abandoned Properties in Ohio
  • In total, the State of Ohio and its jurisdictions received more than $258.1 million in federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds, with HUD awarding $141.2 million directly to 22 cities and counties and $116.8 million to the State of Ohio for distribution to cities, counties, and regions. Of the monies given to the state, more than $83 million of Ohio NSP funds were distributed to 17 cities, 12 counties and 21 regions in Ohio. In addition, the ODOD allocated approximately $29.2 million of Ohio NSP funds to the Affordable Rental Housing Initiative, which encourages nonprofit organizations and public housing authorities to redevelop demolished, foreclosed, or vacant structures into affordable rental housing.

  • On January 14, 2010, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the State of Ohio a $25.4 million NSP 2 grant. Ohio is the only state in the nation receiving direct funding. As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Congress allocated $2 billion to the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2. The funds were awarded competitively to eligible local governments, states, and nonprofit organizations. Ohio entities that received direct allocations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development include the City of Columbus, City of Dayton, City of Springfield, City of Toledo, Cuyahoga County Land Reutilization Corp., Hamilton County, and The Community Builders, Inc. Including the State of Ohio direct allocation, Ohio received a total of $175.2 million.
  • Protected Homeowners from Fraud
  • The Division of Financial Institutions publishes an online database of actions taken against mortgage brokers. In addition, the Department of Commerce is working to implement the federal SAFE Act which will make it easier for Ohio to track the performance of mortgage brokers and brokerages over time to easily flag those that may be showing a pattern of violations.

Save the Dream Ohio Hotline 888.404.4674