About Us

About IFPN

Overview

The Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network is a coalition of community service and housing-related organizations, government agencies, lenders, realtors, and trade associations that are actively addressing Indiana’s foreclosure crisis through a variety of methods.

Background

In early 2006, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), hosted a series of meetings with government agencies and industry leaders to discuss the issues surrounding foreclosures and potential solutions for reducing foreclosures. Out of these meetings came a group known as the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN.) IFPN worked with elected officials to create legislation outlining a multi-tiered solution to delinquency and foreclosure in 2007. The initiative was launched in November 2007, and included a targeted public awareness campaign, a telephone helpline, and a state-wide network of trained mortgage foreclosure counselors.

Successes

Beginning in November 2007, IFPN launched a public awareness campaign to encourage individuals and families facing foreclosure to seek help by calling 1-877-GET-HOPE or by visiting www.877gethope.org. Upon contact, the homeowner is referred to a certified foreclosure prevention specialist with a local nonprofit organization. From its outset, the “Don’t Let the Walls Foreclose in on You” campaign has concentrated on grassroots strategies that have resulted in the distribution of more than 350,000 marketing and collateral pieces. Over the past two years, IFPN has purchased radio, print, and billboard in communities experiencing the highest concentrations of foreclosure. In addition to the mass marketing, IFPN has hosted eight borrower outreach events that have brought more than 900 borrowers face-to-face with their lender or a housing counselor to discuss options to avoid foreclosure. In an effort to give troubled homeowners the opportunity to access foreclosure prevention assistance through the privacy of a phone call, in June of 2009 IFPN hosted a Phone A Thon. More than 60,000 Hoosiers have received assistance from the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network.

2009 Phone A Thon

In an effort to give troubled homeowners the opportunity to access foreclosure prevention assistance through the privacy of a phone call, in June of 2009, IFPN hosted a Phone A Thon.

For five hours the phone lines at three PBS stations were manned by nearly 150 volunteers including housing counselors, attorneys, representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, government volunteers, not-for-profit partners and lender partners.

To promote the Phone A Thon, IFPN formed a partnership with the Indiana Broadcasting Association and Indianapolis Public Broadcasting Station, WFYI. Through this partnership, promotional spots ran on every television and radio station in the state driving troubled borrowers to the Phone A Thon. In addition, a thity minute program aired on every PBS station and some commercial station educating Hoosiers about the foreclsoure process and resources available. A link to the PSAs and educational program are below.

More than 3000 troubled borrowers received assistance from the phone a thon.