Hurricane Relief Project & Homeowner Protection

History
GNOFHAC launched the Hurricane Relief Project (HRP) in April 2006, in collaboration with the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). Utilizing NFHA’s resources and experience with fair lending, insurance, and predatory lending issues, and GNOFHAC’s standing in the community, the HRP was designed to provide assistance to homeowners affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. 

Since it inception, the HRP staff has worked to protect homeownership and help residents recover and rebuild in hurricane-impacted areas of South Louisiana by providing counseling, guidance, and technical assistance with recovery programs and rebuilding concerns.

Over two and a half years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the HRP continues to assist residents hoping to return home and rebuild their lives and communities. Our efforts have saved hundreds of homes from foreclosure, and helped many more receive fair compensation from insurance companies and government recovery programs for hurricane losses, but our work is not done until every homeowner who wants to return to their home has the opportunity to do so.

Services
Mortgages

  • Foreclosure prevention, delinquency and default counseling
  • Budget and credit counseling
  • Assistance negotiating with lenders for affordable forbearance plans, loan modifications, partial claims, loan payoffs and other loan repayment options
  • Assistance negotiating with lenders to release insurance claim funds
  • Assistance resolving disputes over escrow accounts, late fees, and improper credit reporting
  • Attorney and refinancing referrals

Road Home Program

  • Counseling on program policies, process, guidelines, and appeals
  • Document requests
  • Appeal and dispute resolution assistance
  • Attorney referrals for successions, title clearance, and other ownership and legal concerns

Insurance

  • Assistance understanding the insurance claim process and insurance policies
  • Document requests
  • Attorney referrals for unresolved insurance claims
  • Advising on the purchase of homeowners and flood insurance

Other Recovery Issues

  • Contractor advice and assistance with Attorney General and Better Business Bureau complaints
  • Homestead exemption and property tax advising
  • FEMA and SBA advising and appeals