(20 ILCS 3805/7.30)

Sec. 7.30. Foreclosure Prevention Program.

(a) The Authority shall establish and administer a Foreclosure Prevention Program. The Authority shall use moneys in the Foreclosure Prevention Program Fund, and any other funds appropriated for this purpose, to make grants to (i) approved counseling agencies for approved housing counseling and (ii) approved community-based organizations for approved foreclosure prevention outreach programs. The Authority shall promulgate rules to implement this Program and may adopt emergency rules as soon as practicable to begin implementation of the Program.

(b) Subject to appropriation and the annual receipt of funds, the Authority shall make grants from the Foreclosure Prevention Program Fund derived from fees paid as specified in subsection (a) of Section 15-1504.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure as follows:

(1) 25% of the moneys in the Fund shall be used to make grants to approved counseling agencies that provide services in Illinois outside of the City of Chicago. Grants shall be based upon the number of foreclosures filed in an approved counseling agency's service area, the capacity of the agency to provide foreclosure counseling services, and any other factors that the Authority deems appropriate.

(2) 25% of the moneys in the Fund shall be distributed to the City of Chicago to make grants to approved counseling agencies located within the City of Chicago for approved housing counseling or to support foreclosure prevention counseling programs administered by the City of Chicago.

(3) 25% of the moneys in the Fund shall be used to make grants to approved community-based organizations located outside of the City of Chicago for approved foreclosure prevention outreach programs.

(4) 25% of the moneys in the Fund shall be used to make grants to approved community-based organizations located within the City of Chicago for approved foreclosure prevention outreach programs, with priority given to programs that provide door-to-door outreach.

(b-1) Subject to appropriation and the annual receipt of funds, the Authority shall make grants from the Foreclosure Prevention Program Graduated Fund derived from fees paid as specified in paragraph (1) of subsection (a-5) of Section 15-1504.1 of the Code of Civil Procedure, as follows:

(1) 30% shall be used to make grants for approved housing counseling in Cook County outside of the City of Chicago;

(2) 25% shall be used to make grants for approved housing counseling in the City of Chicago;

(3) 30% shall be used to make grants for approved housing counseling in DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties; and

(4) 15% shall be used to make grants for approved housing counseling in Illinois in counties other than Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties provided that grants to provide approved housing counseling to borrowers residing within these counties shall be based, to the extent practicable, (i) proportionately on the amount of fees paid to the respective clerks of the courts within these counties and (ii) on any other factors that the Authority deems appropriate.

The percentages set forth in this subsection (b-1) shall be calculated after deduction of reimbursable administrative expenses incurred by the Authority, but shall not be greater than 4% of the annual appropriated amount.

(b-5) As used in this Section:

"Approved community-based organization" means a not-for-profit entity that provides educational and financial information to residents of a community through in-person contact. "Approved community-based organization" does not include a not-for-profit corporation or other entity or person that provides legal representation or advice in a civil proceeding or court-sponsored mediation services, or a governmental agency.

"Approved foreclosure prevention outreach program" means a program developed by an approved community-based organization that includes in-person contact with residents to provide (i) pre-purchase and post-purchase home ownership counseling, (ii) education about the foreclosure process and the options of a mortgagor in a foreclosure proceeding, and (iii) programs developed by an approved community-based organization in conjunction with a State or federally chartered financial institution.

"Approved counseling agency" means a housing counseling agency approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Approved housing counseling" means in-person counseling provided by a counselor employed by an approved counseling agency to all borrowers, or documented telephone counseling where a hardship would be imposed on one or more borrowers. A hardship shall exist in instances in which the borrower is confined to his or her home due to a medical condition, as verified in writing by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant, or the borrower resides 50 miles or more from the nearest approved counseling agency. In instances of telephone counseling, the borrower must supply all necessary documents to the counselor at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled telephone counseling session.

(c) (Blank).

(c-5) Where the jurisdiction of an approved counseling agency is included within more than one of the geographic areas set forth in this Section, the Authority may elect to fully fund the applicant from one of the relevant geographic areas.

(Source: P.A. 99-581, eff. 1-1-17; 100-513, eff. 1-1-18.)