Our Mission:
To create organized leadership around issues impacting neighborhood life. Community residents are at the forefront of all organizing efforts, as they are in the best position to create and implement change. To read more about ESOP, click this orange box:
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CUYAHOGA COUNTY: ESOP OFFERS DAILY APPOINTMENTS ON CLEVELAND'S WEST SIDE, WEEKLY IN SO. EUCLID, LAKEWOOD, BEDFORD HTS & GARFIELD HTS ESOP now has a full-time, Spanish bilingual Foreclosure Prevention Advocate at the Westside Housing Center in Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood available to meet with families.
Complementing a full appointment schedule here & at Cleveland main, ESOP also holds convenient weekly homeowner appointments in suburban communities: Monday mornings in So. Euclid, Wednesday evenings in both Lakewood & Bedford Hts., and Thursday afternoons in Garfield Hts. Please call ESOP at 216-361-0718 for more information.
STARK COUNTY: ESOP MASSILLON STAFF HOLD MONTHLY APPOINTMENTS IN CANTON ESOP'S Massillon-based staff hold evening group appointments in Canton once a month at the North Branch Library for the convenience of area homeowners. For more information about the Canton schedule (or to make an appt for any day in Massillon), call (330) 775-1035.
DON'T BECOME A VICTIM OF MORTGAGE SCAMS! Homeowners beware! Fraudulent rescue scammers are trying to get your money. They pretend to be from government agencies or legitimate companies and promise to help refinance or modify your mortgage through the Presiden'ts Making Home Affordable program. Homeowners never have to pay to participate in the program. DO NOT PAY MONEY TO ANYONE! FREE HELP IS AVAILABLE FROM ESOP.
IDEASTREAM REPORTS ON NEW CHASE PROMISES JPMorgan Chase representatives last met with ESOP leaders on Nov. 23. Ongoing talks have centered on several roadblocks that Chase borrowers encounter when trying to obtain mortage resolutions. Chase repledged to improve aspects of its loan modification process. Talks with Chase began after ESOP organized homeowners in a Day of Action that took place on June 11 at several Chase branches across Ohio.
ESOP RECOGNIZED WITH AWARDS ESOP was honored in May with the Most Innovative Business Practices Award by the Oberlin Research Group. The award recognizes ESOP for having a board of directors that includes former recipients of its services which ensures a foundational grassroots connection to those ESOP serves.
ESOP was again honored in June by OHFA (Ohio Housing & Finance Agency). ESOP was selected from among Ohio's HUD-certified housing counseling agencies to receive the Sustainable Homeownership Excellence Award. ESOP is the state leader in foreclosure prevention and saved homes. Read OHFA's announcement See photo
ESOP HELPS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION REMOVE BLIGHTED PROPERTY ESOP recently helped non-profit Slavic Village Development obtain an abandoned, dilapitated house on E.72 St. in Cleveland. Long a neighborhood eyesore, the property sits directly across the street from SVD's anchor project, the Morgana Model Block. Housing Director, Stacia Pugh said, "We finally took title to the property for $1000 on 5/28/09 thanks to ESOP." Now demolished, the worst blight on the street has been transformed into a beautiful greenspace.
ESOP helps responsible community organizations & local governments connect with lenders to acquire vacant, bank-owned properties for demolition or rehab. These efforts help restore neighborhoods that have been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.
ESOP in the News
- WKYC-TV 3: Interview with Foreclosure Prevention Advocate, Robert King
- NE Ohio: Falling values put homeowners 'under water'
- More stressed homeowners 'walking away' from mortgages
- Enhanced interrogation: Mark Seifert, Executive director, ESOP
- Woman facing foreclosure testifies to Senate
- New foreclosure filings in Cuyahoga County remain high and advance in the suburbs
- Do Servicers gain from foreclosures as against opting for modification
- NEO CANDO: So. Euclid offers warning about home foreclosure issues