OPB's Think Out Loud had a segment Friday on implementation of Oregon's new foreclosure mediation bill (SB1552 ) yet to be signed by the Governor. You can download a MP3 audio file HERE (mediation segment starts around 20 minutes into the program); the TOL website for the broadcast is HERE.
Also, the Oregon Attorney General's Office is holding Friday afternoon weekly stakeholder meetings; the web page for the bill that includes links to materials for these meetings is HERE. From that website:
The Attorney General’s Foreclosure Mediation Workgroup is charged with the foreclosure mediation program established under SB 1552.
Topics that will be subject to rulemaking include: mediator role and qualifications, mediation fees, the role of the mediation services provider, mediation notice requirements, and mediation guidelines. Agendas may be amended at any time prior to the meeting.
All workgroup deliberations are open to the public. However, the opportunity for public comment may be limited during these meeting. Persons wishing to submit comments or suggestions regarding the foreclosure mediation program may send an email to foreclosuremediation@doj.state.or.us. For questions or assistance regarding workgroup meetings, please contact Kate Medema at kate.e.medema@doj.state.or.us.Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.
The workgroup convened for the first time on March 23, 2012. Subsequent meetings of this workgroup will be from 1:30 to 3:30 pm in the Justice Building, Kulongoski Room, 1162 Court Street NE, Salem, Oregon on: March 30th; April 6th; April 13th; April 27th; May 11th; May 25th and June 8th.
Since lenders are going to be much more knowledgable about the law than debtors, the mediaors will need to give a lot of information to participants about the law than one might think. Mediation happens "in the shadow of the law" and people who don't know the law are at a huge disadvantage in mediation. The lenders, since they have many cases to learn from, will know the law, and the debtors, having their own situation to learn from, will mostly not.
ReplyDeletePeter Silverman. asclseastheair@gmail.com