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State Representative Joe Mullery
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4262
For more information contact: Matt Swenson 651-297-8406
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HOME FORECLOSURE PREVENTION MEASURES PASS MINNESOTA HOUSE
ST. PAUL – The first bills in a comprehensive package addressing the wave of Minnesota home foreclosures passed today in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Aimed at keeping Minnesotans in their homes, much of the legislation is the product of Rep. Joe Mullery's "Foreclosure Working Group" that worked throughout the interim and legislative session to craft effective solutions to the ongoing housing crisis in a comprehensive Mortgage Foreclosure Action Plan.
"People are hurting, neighborhoods are declining, our economy is wavering and the credit market is collapsing under the weight of this foreclosure crisis," said Rep. Joe Mullery (DFL – Minneapolis), who chaired the Foreclosure Working Group. "These bills expand the options and resources available to homeowners to help Minnesotans avoid foreclosure."
Led by Mullery, an unprecedented collection of groups as divergent as ACORN, Legal Aid, neighborhood groups, local governments, professors, banks, realtors, and landlords all worked together with a bi-partisan group of legislators to craft legislation passed on the House floor today. Those bills passed include:
HF3474 (Hilstrom) Relating to mortgages; redemption period; providing for notice of sale;
HF3346 (Davnie) Mortgage foreclosure assistance provided, and financial assistance increased;
HF3517 (Davnie) Modifying expungement and withholding of rent under certain circumstances
HF3477 (Gardner) Relating to manufactured housing; providing for regulation of lending practices and default; providing notices and remedies;
HF3516 (Davnie) Providing for certain data practices relating to foreclosure;
HF3476 (Kohls) Providing for certain notices relating to foreclosure
HF1499 (Hortman) Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act adopted as approved and recommended by the National Conference of Commissions on Uniform State Law;
HF3428 (Gunther) Tenant right to pay utility bills.
The legislation comes in the wake of a housing crisis that is becoming increasingly dire. Yesterday, the administration proposed an overhaul of government oversight of the financial industry and expanded consumer protection goals. Congress is considering a number of plans for a federal response to address the housing crisis, and today the Governor announced additional federal funds to expand consumer counseling resources.
"The scope of the crisis clearly calls for aggressive measures on a state level," said Representative Jim Davnie (DFL – Minneapolis), chair of the House Labor and Consumer Protection Division, and author of several of today's provisions. "Foreclosures have wide-ranging consequences for families and the economy at large. These bills represent reasonable government interventions that give people a chance to stay in their homes and lenders a chance to mitigate their losses, and hopefully will keep the crisis from getting worse."
Rep. Mullery applauded new funding from the federal government that will help Minnesota address the ongoing housing crisis. "I'm glad the federal government is providing this important funding to help our state on this very important part of intervening in the foreclosure crisis," said Mullery. "I appreciate the administration's work on addressing part of the many issues we are dealing with in the ongoing fight against foreclosures."
Important votes on additional components of the Mortgage Foreclosure Action Plan, as well as Rep. Davnie's Minnesota Subprime Foreclosure Deferment Act of 2008, will take place on the House floor in the coming weeks.
News Items
- Reminder: Primary - August 14; Some Voting Locations May Have Changed - (Posted: 2012-07-08 00:00:00)
- Passing of Dr. John Williams - (Posted: 2012-07-09 00:00:00)
- Rep. Mullery: 2012 Legislative Report - (Posted: 2012-07-10 00:00:00)
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