Mr. and Mrs. Freddie followed all the steps they believed would allow their family to live comfortable and independent middle-class lives. A Vietnam veteran, Mr. Freddie worked as a truck driver earning a stable income after retiring from the military. But as he neared 70 years old, a serious back injury left him disabled and unemployed.
Within a couple of years, he and his wife were about to lose the home they’d lived in for 38 years, raising children they expected would inherit it.
As their income declined, Mr. and Mrs. Freddie decided to refinance their home and take cash out of their equity to pay mounting bills. Unfortunately, the refinance increased their monthly mortgage payment, and ongoing expenses caused them to fall behind on their note. Soon, they faced foreclosure.
In 2023, Mr. Freddie filed for bankruptcy to stop a foreclosure process. While the bankruptcy provided temporary relief, the family’s financial challenges continued, and they once again became delinquent on their mortgage and again faced foreclosure.
Fortunately, Mrs. Freddie learned about the Urban League through a friend and made the call for help this year. The Urban League’s Housing and Wealth Counselor Tony Jean-Louis answered. And because Mr. and Mrs. Freddie could not navigate the application process electronically, Mr. Jean-Louis met them at the Davidson Library in Lithonia to guide the couple step by step. 
Once he had the full picture, he contacted the mortgage lender to work on a solution. Fortunately, the lender wanted to help the family prevent foreclosure and requested a list of documents for review. The clients gathered the required information and brought everything to a meeting at the Urban League’s headquarters on Peachtree Street NW. After verifying that all the documents were in order, they submitted their application for a mortgage adjustment.
The lender began evaluating the request for loss mitigation options. As weeks passed, Mr. and Mrs. Freddie became worried. But two months after filing their application, they got great news: The lender had approved them for a loan modification. Now at ages 74 and 71, after five years of struggle, they could breathe easily again.
The loan modification brought their mortgage current, removed them from foreclosure status, and provided the stability they desperately needed. Most importantly, it allowed them to remain in the home they have cherished for nearly four decades.
The gratitude they expressed for the Urban League’s assistance was matched by the sense of purpose Tony Jean-Louis felt in helping them.
“Seeing the relief and joy on their faces after months of uncertainty was a powerful reminder of the impact that housing counseling and advocacy can have on families facing hardship,” he said. “We are also grateful to interact with professionals in the industry who partner with us to keep families in their homes.”
