Senator Fuschillo & Department of Financial Services Bring Foreclosure Prevention Program to Long Islanders

     Photo caption: Senator Fuschillo (right) is pictured with Department of Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky (center) and Assemblyman Joseph Saladino (left) in front of the Department’s mobile foreclosure prevention center, which came to Massapequa to provide assistance to homeowners.

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) and Assemblyman Joseph Saladino today partnered with the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) to help provide services to homeowners facing foreclosure.

     Senator Fuschillo arranged for specialists from DFS to bring the Department’s Mobile Command Center to Marjorie Post Park in Massapequa, where trained DFS specialists provided individualized assistance to homeowners in need. 

     “Many families are struggling to make ends meet in this economy, but there are places where they can turn to get help. This program enabled homeowners facing foreclosure to speak individually with trained specialists to learn about programs and services that are available to help them stay in their homes. I thank the Department of Financial Services for partnering with me to offer this important service to residents,” said Senator Fuschillo.

     “Governor Cuomo believes that it’s essential that we provide as much help as possible to financially-troubled homeowners. Our objective is to provide direct help to homeowners and get the word out to others that it’s important to ask for help as quickly as possible. The longer a homeowner waits, the harder it may be to save a home,” Department of Financial Services Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky said.

     As part of the program, DFS specialists spoke one-on-one with homeowners and assessed where they were in the pre-foreclosure or foreclosure process; informed them about specific loan modification programs which may be available to them; and offered guidance on how they can file complaints with the Department so that suspected cases of lender or mortgage servicer abuses, such as predatory lending practices, can be investigated.

     Homeowners who were unable to take advantage of the program but are in need of assistance can call DFS’ toll free foreclosure hotline at 1-800-269-0990 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or visit the Department’s website, www.dfs.ny.gov.