STATEMENT BY HUD REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR ED JENNINGS, JR. ON FLORIDA'S DECISION TO INVEST SETTLEMENT FUNDING IN HOUSING COUNSELING AND LEGAL AID
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

ATLANTA, GA - Attorney General Pam Bondi joined Florida Governor Rick Scott for the signing of Florida Senate Bill 1852, which appropriates the remaining $200 million of the State's payment from the National Mortgage Servicing Settlement.

HUD Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. issued the following statement regarding the bill being signed into law:

"We are encouraged to see that Florida has designated $50 million of its payment from the National Mortgage Servicing Settlement to provide vital assistance to struggling homeowners. Florida's State Housing Initiative Program (SHIP) and legal aid funds, combined with the $15 million that Attorney General Bondi previously designated for housing counseling and legal aid, will bring hope and pivotal support to homeowners. SHIP has been an extraordinarily successful program and we look forward to this investment continuing to create partnerships that produce and preserve affordable housing to serve very low, low and moderate income Floridians.

The Obama administration, through the committed leadership of Secretary Shaun Donovan, is excited to see the impact of this joint federal-state partnership with Attorney General Bondi bear fruit in one of the country's hardest hit states. We will continue to hold banks accountable and ensure that settlement proceeds are used to benefit homeowners."

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