WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawai'i, has announced the awarding of $398,470 to the Hawai'i Housing Finance and Development Corp. to help families and individuals facing the threat of foreclosure during these uncertain economic times.

Some $298,470 of the money will be used to provide free assistance to Hawai'i families at risk of losing their homes, help clients to understand the complex foreclosure process, and identify possible courses of action so they can make informed decisions and then take that appropriate action, according to a news release from Hirono's office.

The remaining $100,000 will provide legal assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure. Funding is being awarded by the NeighborWorks America National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program.

"The latest reports show that foreclosures in Hawai'i have tripled over the past year," Hirono said. "Federal assistance is now on the way for struggling island homeowners who are trying to avoid foreclosure."

NeighborWorks America was established under Title VI of the Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978, P.L. 95-557 [PDF, 53kb]: www.nw.org/network/policy/documents/TitleVILaw.pdf.

As a congressionally chartered nonprofit organization dedicated to improving distressed communities, NeighborWorks America and the NeighborWorks network have an interest in federal policies that affect the housing and community development field, according to Hirono's news release.