CHICAGO – Governor Quinn’s Mortgage Relief Project on Saturday, January 28th, will be returning to DuPage County to help struggling west suburban homeowners take advantage of programs that can help them save their homes from foreclosure.

“By participating in this event, homeowners can literally save their homes,” said Brent E. Adams, Secretary of Financial and Professional Regulation. “The Mortgage Relief Project provides direct, tangible, and free assistance to homeowners.”

The event is being co-hosted by State Senator Carole Pankau (R-Roselle). It will be the 27th stop in a statewide tour that began in the summer of 2009. The event last visited DuPage County in October 2011.

The Mortgage Relief Project offers property owners free on-site assistance to rework their mortgages and prevent foreclosure. Homeowners who have recently fallen behind on their mortgage payments can obtain a 90-day grace period by entering housing counseling, according to the Homeowner Protection Act, a law enacted two years ago by Governor Quinn. The Act requires that all lenders and loan servicers notify homeowners who are at least 30 days late on their mortgage payments that they have 30 days to seek housing counseling to get their loan back on track. If a homeowner enters housing counseling, they get an additional 30-day grace period on foreclosure in order to work out a payment plan or refinance option.

Mortgage Relief Project outreach events are administered jointly by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

The free workshops will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (registration closes at 12 noon) on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at Willowbrook High School, 1250 South Ardmore Avenue in Villa Park, Ill. The free workshops will offer helpful advice about mortgage refinancing, foreclosure prevention, legal rights, credit counseling and avoiding scam artists. Homeowners can also obtain private, one-on-one housing counseling with HUD-certified counselors and are encouraged to bring their latest mortgage documents (bills, statements, notices, etc.), two most recent paystubs, and their state ID or driver’s license.

For more information or to receive immediate assistance in advance this event, please call IDFPR’s toll-free consumer hotline (800) 532-8785 or visit www.idfpr.com or www.ihda.org. A list of HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in Illinois can be found at www.hud.gov.