In the State of the Union, President Obama introduced a basic principle: Every homeowner who is current on his or her payments ought to have a chance to refinance their mortgage at today’s historically low rates.
To make that idea a reality for everyone, Congress must take action.
But today, the President is taking another step to make refinancing easier for millions of Americans who have government-sponsored mortgages. He’s cutting fees — to help families save money and make refinancing more attractive.
And at a press conference yesterday, President Obama announced a series of steps aimed at helping homeowners who have served in the Armed Forces.
When the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers reached a settlement with the federal government and 49 state attorneys general, they agreed to provide substantial relief to the nation’s veterans who were victims of wrongful foreclosures or who were otherwise disadvantaged in the mortgage process because of the obligations of their service.
Here’s how veterans and their families will benefit because of the settlement:
- Any service member who saw their home wrongfully foreclosed will be substantially compensated for what the bank did;
- Any member of Armed Forces who was wrongfully denied the chance to refinance and reduce their mortgage payments through lower interest rates will receive a refund from their bank equal to the money he or she would have saved;
- Many service members who lost money because they were forced due to sell their homes due to Permanent Change of Station orders will also receive relief; and
- Finally, under the settlement, the banks will also pay $10 million into the Veterans Housing Benefit Program Fund, which guarantees loans on favorable terms for service members.
There are few bonds stronger than that between owners and their dogs. Just look at the television ads for dog foods and medicines. But that love carries responsibilities, too. One is getting dogs to regular checkups by a veterinarian. The other is making sure that your dog is licensed according to state and local ordinances. The first state-wide dog license law was enacted by New York this week in 1894. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was authorized to carry out the provisions of the law. In big cities, the fee was $2 a year. In households across the nation, there are more than 72 million dogs from tiny lap dogs to the largest hunting and work dogs. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.
For our reader opinion articles, I’ll try and keep each person’s most recent article at the top of the news feed. Good idea or not?
Discuss on today’s Open Lines!
Deception, I am disappointed in your silence about the papers front page all about black on black crimes.
The Dispatch had an article about the men’s shelter. If memory serves, the shelter was formed by local churches, to provide temporary lodging during the cold months. First Presbyterian Church provided a temporary space, volunteers donated hot meals in the evening and a cot, and light breakfast.
Now those quoted in the paper would like to see it become a full resource project. It was never meant for that purpose. In my humble opinion we need to keep the hours and services provided by volunteers.
Some one was telling me they had heard that Ollie’s Bargain Outlet will be holding a job fair tomorrow, at Jameson Inn, for their new store opening in Henderson. Can anyone confirm this?
Just spoke with Jameson Inn, the lady at the front desk wasnt sure but she had several people call this morning about it. She was going to get in touch with her manager and find out. Give them a call at 430-0247 and ask, or i’ll update if they return my call.
ok just returned my call, they are having a job fair in the conference room, it starts at either 8 or 9 she wasnt sure, and will last ‘all day’
Did I misread yesterday’s front page article or is there an ulterior reason the paper ran the front page story of a three year old unsolved murder. The squabble Anonymous tried to start yesterday caused me to actually read the whole story.
In the first sentence in the second paragraph the paper is reporting the murder is the result of a home invasion and burglary. On page 3, near the end of the news story the paper quotes the Police Department representative basically disputing the hook on the front page of the story. The mother in the story is grieving the murder of her son and the long wait for an arrest and trial of the one(s) accused of the murder. That is a sad enough story by itself. For the writer and editor to craft the news story in such as way that the reader had to turn the page to get to the rest of the story has the appearance of misdirecting the reader’s attention on facts in the story.
One way to read the story gives the underlying impression the police are unwilling to investigate this crime. Yet the whole story tells a different impression, the police are willing and doing the best they can with the know facts of this case.
Maybe this story will shake out a fact or clue as to the identity of a perpetrator(s) of this murder so the police can complete their investigation. That should be our collective hope. Though writing a news article that has the appearance of misdirecting the reader’s attention of the known facts in the investigation reminds me of a long running tirade on Home In Henderson about a thirty year old unsolved murder.
Prudence. I thought the mayor applauded a religious group’s intent to buy and use a motel on the north end of town to establish a rescue mission. A place where those who have fallen the furthest in our society could find a warm shelter and communal companionship that may be the catalyst to changes in their own life. Then the next day the same mayor through the city attorney filed a suit to prevent the establishment of a rescue mission. Talk about a mixed message.
I agree with you that the current shelter be left as it is while the proposed shelter is established. The tax exempt status granted religious organization is granted because they are supposedly intend to offer aide to those who have fallen instead of building edifices to themselves.
Unfortunately, the men’s shelter is only during the winter. Does anyone realize how many homeless men there are in Henderson? Few of them can just pick up and move somewhere else, so they must find shelter year round, not just when it is cold. A person can’t even get a job if they don’t have an address; as if there are any real jobs available (real jobs can pay some rent). Lifeline helps homeless women and children but their space and funding is limited. Our homeless aren’t going away any time soon.
The bible teaches us that we have a responsibility to provide for the poor, widows, orphans, etc. But we need to also realize that providing comes with an expectation. The early church required people to work if they wanted to eat. Simply put … no work … no eat. We do need homeless shelters, but we also need an honorable workforce element that ties into it. Before welfare and social security, this was the primary work of the church.