Client Stories

JALA helps clients save their family homes through probate, mortgage modification

Having clear title to one’s home is often crucial to saving it, whether the threat is from potential foreclosure or a natural disaster. That’s because without clear title, the homeowner cannot negotiate with lenders or access federal aid, including disaster relief from FEMA or housing assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Jacksonville Area Legal Aid helps families avoid a potential foreclosure and access federal aid after a loved one passes away by helping them clear title through probate. "Probate is a complex and confusing process for many families," JALA President and CEO Jim Kowalski said. "But it is a crucial step in ensuring that a deceased person's property is properly transferred to their heirs. When families don't understand the importance of probate, they can put themselves at risk of losing their homes."

2024-01-04T11:43:59-05:00February 13th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing, News, Tangled Title|

JALA helps Clay homeowner get a mortgage modification, help with HOA debt

“Raymond,” who has a disability, was working a part-time job in addition to his full-time job in order to pay off the $6,000 he owed his homeowner’s association, which had initiated a foreclosure for the past due assessments. He was also behind on his mortgage. He and his two adult children, ages 18 and 20, share the family home, and he was in risk of losing it.

2024-01-04T11:51:15-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA housing counselor helps single mother save her home after COVID-19 forbearance ends

“Marcia,” a single mother whose adult son has a disability, was delinquent on her mortgage after a COVID-19 hardship. She had entered into a COVID-19 forbearance, and once it ended, her loan servicer told her she had to pay almost $8,000 in one lump sum.

2024-01-04T11:51:53-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA housing counseling enables senior couple to remain in their home

“Margie and Frank Wilson,” a Clay County couple in their late 70s, came to JALA for help after becoming delinquent on their mortgage following a forbearance period. Social Security was their only source of income, and they had been struggling to make ends meet for several years. JALA offers housing counseling through a grant from Clay SHIP, or the State Housing Initiative Program, which provides local governments with funds to create housing programs to assist income-eligible residents.

2024-01-04T11:52:38-05:00January 7th, 2023|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA saves family’s home by helping them access SHIP funds

“Ariana” came to JALA after her mortgage company wanted her to pay the whole sum that was due from the period when her family had received pandemic-related mortgage forbearance. Her whole family had not only had COVID-19, but the head of the household had lost employment due to the initial shutdown. The family had resumed their mortgage payments, but when asked to pay the whole sum due, they could not afford it.

2022-10-07T13:13:12-04:00October 7th, 2022|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA puts a stop to condo board’s harassment and illegal fines related to service dog

“Sally,” a highly decorated Gulf War combat veteran, suffers from a severe psychological impairment due to her time in combat. Her adult son “James” purchased a dog for his mother named “Sweetie” hoping that having him would help his mother mitigate the effects of her psychological disability. James had a dog of his own already. After meeting Sweetie, he decided that he liked the breed so much that he got another dog, the same breed as Sweetie, named Sugar. Several month later, Sally separated from her husband and moved in with James. Because of a two-pet rule of his condominium association, Sally had no choice but to give her dog to her adult daughter.

2022-09-20T10:15:23-04:00September 20th, 2022|Client Stories, Fair Housing, Veterans Services|

JALA helps family save their home amid harassment and threats from relatives

The “Robertson” family came to JALA when they were under threat of losing the home they had worked hard to purchase. Several years before, they had entered a contract to purchase their rental home from family members, the “Sellers.” They paid a down payment to get started and dutifully made their monthly payments over the years.

2022-09-14T10:40:19-04:00September 14th, 2022|Client Stories, Fair Housing|

JALA enables local nonprofit to build transitional housing on lot donated by the city

R.E.S.T.O.R.E., a Jacksonville charity that seeks to reduce recidivism by providing support services to ex-offenders transitioning back into mainstream society, acquired by donation a vacant residential lot from the City of Jacksonville. The previous owner, a corporation, had stopped paying property taxes on it. Having acquired the property in a tax sale, the corporation attempted to create a conservation easement on the property by conveying it to a conservation trust.  The corporation then stopped paying the property taxes.

2022-08-30T14:36:19-04:00August 30th, 2022|Client Stories, Fair Housing|
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