Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Solutions to mortgage crisis offered at town hall event

Photos and story by James Hill

A wide array of community organizations will come together on next week to discuss local solutions to the mortgage crisis.

The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, in the auditorium of the Moriarty Building, on the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College, 705 N. Killingsworth St..

The “There’s No Place Like Home – Mortgage Foreclosure Summit" will include speakers, roundtable sessions and a chance to learn more about the large number of foreclosures that have rocked homeowners throughout the nation. The emphasis will be on the local crisis and local solutions.

“I encourage everyone who knows anyone that is facing the threat of foreclosure as a result of a default on their mortgage or fraudulent lending practices should attend this summit to find out what options they have before the clock runs out on your opportunity to save your home,” said the Rev. Reneé Ward, event coordinator and community activist.

“We’re pleased to be a partner in this event,” said Preston Pulliams, president of PCC. “There are people right in our community who can help us come to grips with this serious situation. It’s vital that we do all we can.”

Several elected officials at the local and state level have been invited to participate. Others involved range from Attorney General-elect John Kroger to AARP, and from the African American Alliance for Homeownership to the Better Business Bureau. The event is open to the public and an "oasis room" has been designated to offer ways to minimize stress and will be available to participants.

For more information regarding the summit, contact Ward at (503) 548-7537 or via email at revreneeward@hotmail.com.