Elderly Client’s Foreclosure Case Dismissed!
When 83-year-old Olivia’s escrowed insurance payments spiked, she fell behind on her mortgage payments. Her home went into foreclosure. Once Olivia found her way to CVLS, volunteer attorney Brian Coleman got his first foreclosure case, which he handled with aplomb.
Olivia didn’t speak English. Jose, her elderly son who lived with her did, but he was legally blind. Neither used email. Although Brian could communicate with his clients by phone, Jose had to take documents to a neighborhood service provider, Access Community Health Network, so that they could help him fax them to CVLS who would, in turn, email them to Brian. Then Brian would call Jose to discuss them, and Jose would relay the information to his mother. This process added significant time to the case.
When the lender offered Olivia an affordable loan modification, Brian worked closely with them to make sure they understood and could comply with the terms. He also navigated the court case to give his clients the time they needed to review and consider the terms. His diligence and patience paid off. The loan was modified, and the foreclosure dismissed. Olivia and her son are keeping their home, and Brian has his first pro bono foreclosure under his belt.
