Nation's Foreclosure Prevention Hotline Shatters Previous Call Records

President Bush's announcement encourages more than 140,000
concerned homeowners to reach out for help
MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--More than 143,000 calls from distressed homeowners were fielded by
the Homeownership Preservation Foundation's Homeowner's HOPE(TM)
Hotline in the fourth quarter of 2007, twice the number of calls
received during the third quarter and nearly 10 times that of the
first quarter of the year.

The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) is a nonprofit
organization that operates a national 24/7 hotline - 888-995-HOPE. The
hotline provides free, bilingual, personalized assistance to help
at-risk homeowners avoid foreclosure.

In December 2007, the HOPE hotline became the primary contact
point for homeowners with delinquent mortgages, as part of the HOPE
NOW Alliance, the Administration's initiative to stem America's
foreclosure crisis. HPF is a member of the HOPE NOW Alliance of
mortgage servicers, mortgage market participants and counselors.
According to HPF, more than 37,000 homeowners received counseling
during the fourth quarter alone - more than three times the 10,000
completed sessions in all of 2006.

"We're encouraged because more homeowners are being proactive in
reaching out for help," says Colleen Hernandez, president and
executive director of HPF. "Mindful of the significant call volume
following the President's announcement, HPF established a triage
response system that offers resources to those who need information
and directs callers who need foreclosure prevention counseling right
to counselors, allowing us to operate more effectively."

Among homeowners who called 888-995-HOPE, 31 percent were less
than one month behind in mortgage payments up from 24 percent during
third quarter 2007.

"It's reassuring that homeowners are addressing their mortgage
issues earlier, however we need to continue to reach out to troubled
homeowners to let them know there is help available," said Hernandez.
"No matter the situation, HPF can provide options and information to
keep more Americans out of foreclosure."

Key Statistics - Fourth Quarter 2007

Foreclosure can happen to anyone, regardless of socioeconomic
status, demographic or type of mortgage. The following are current
trends observed by hotline counselors:

-- California continues to be the top counseled state, accounting
for 18 percent of the total call volume; Ohio ranked second (9
percent) and Illinois rounded out the top three with (5
percent).

-- Adjustable-rate mortgages, in aggregate, made up 48 percent of
calls; fixed-rate mortgages accounted for 28 percent.

-- 61 percent of callers reported annual household incomes of
less than $42,000; 15 percent of callers reported annual
incomes of more than $60,000.

About the Homeownership Preservation Foundation

Founded in 2004, the Homeownership Preservation Foundation is a
Minneapolis-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing foreclosures and
preserving homeownership for American homeowners. The Foundation
partners with city, county and state governments; federal government
agencies; community-based nonprofit organizations; and mortgage
companies to offer creative solutions to preserve homeownership. HPF's
cornerstone service is the Homeowner's HOPE(TM) Hotline, a foreclosure
prevention counseling service available free to American homeowners by
calling 888-995-HOPE. For more information about the Homeownership
Preservation Foundation or the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline, visit
www.995hope.org.

Homeownership Preservation Foundation
Tracy Morgan, 612-230-4023
tmorgan@995hope.org

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