Facing Forclosure? Courts Want to Give Kane County Homeowners One Last Shot

By Ted Schnell

Kane County’s court system is trying to establish a program that would offer homeowners a last shot at forestalling foreclosure of their homes, The Courier-News in Elgin reports.

Sixteenth Circuit Court Chief Judge Judith Brawka outlined the mediation program on Friday to the Kane County Board Judicial and Public Safety Committee. The program aims to mediate a deal between the lender and the homeowner, allowing the homeowner to stay in his or her home.

When foreclosure begins, homeowners would receive a notice about the program, and if the homeowners qualify to participate, mediators — attorneys trained in foreclosure and loan modification — would represent them. If it’s successful, the parties enter into a new agreement.

Bawka told the committee the program involves a new $50 filing fee added on to the cost of filing the foreclosure. That fee, however, will not  cover the total cost of the program, and Brawka fears that increasing the filing fee to $75 or $100 would be too much for the homeowner.

While the availability of federal funding is being explored, the judge told the committee about $43,000 may be needed from the county to start up the program.

She added that with 4,552 foreclosure filings in Kane County last year, the program would relieve stress on the court system.

Fore more details, read the full story in The Courier-News.