Eye-Opening Reality

Can I be brutally honest? I am in a HAM program.

It has nothing to do with meat!

That's short for Making Home Affordable Loan (I guess)? It's a home modification program through my mortgage company. I've been in it, on a trial basis, for TEN MONTHS.

I've made ALL of my trial payments ON TIME, filled out ALL of the paperwork, even held my tongue when I've received ALL of the letters that indicate that the rest of the company doesn't know that I'm even IN the HAM program and wonders why I haven't paid the 'regular' payments in ten months.

Last month the HAM program sent a letter asking for a profit & loss statement. I didn't even know what that was. I'm part-time self employed so I guess they need even more than what 3 full years of Tax returns could provide. I googled it, threw something together after a long sleepless night and faxed it over to them.

Today I received a letter from the company saying that the mortgage company is one step away from starting the foreclosure process. I immediately called them and reminded them that I was in the HAM program. They replied very glibly, "Oh yeah, you were denied for the modification but they are trying you in a new program and will probably want that Profit & Loss statement Plus MUCH more paperwork"

Huh? All I could think is, WHY are you all stringing me along and taking my money, while providing me with false hope? I just called last week to make sure they received the P&L statement I had faxed over and they said "Yes, we got it and we're processing your loan, just give us a call in a week!". Now I know, that was a lie.

(insert extreme frustration here)

In the meantime, I am praying that this all goes through. But if for some reason it doesn't, I'm taking lots of pictures and trying to remember the good times that I had here.

btw, here's a letter that I wrote to my congressman:

Greetings. I am writing to you to voice my opinion and perhaps seek help.

In July 2009, I enrolled in the Making

Home Affordable Loan Modification program for my home’s mortgage company, CitiMortgage.

According to the news, many banks received TARP and bailout relief funds last year.

I, however, have received Nothing but empty promises. Ten months later, CitiMortgage’s HAM Program is still stringing me along; asking for unreasonable amounts of documentation, leaving hang-tags on my door and sending harassing letters that they disregard as "normal" when I call them.

For ten months, (as opposed to the 3 month trial period they originally told me), I've dealt with the anxiety that I could loose my home at any minute. A home that I purchased 12 years ago, before my Grandmother and Mother passed away, before I lost my job, before I got drop kicked to the curb by my mortgage company as if I haven't done anything for my community, and as if I'd squandered money like some greedy CEO who doesn't have to pay for his consequences. I am frustrated beyond belief that the burden of this nations' financial crisis has to fall on MY humble, hardworking shoulders.

What role does Congress play in representing and protecting the American people? While you rejoice in your successes, you need to be reflective of the pressure and strain that you have placed on regular citizens, many without health insurance, many without enough money to pay MORE taxes to support the lifestyles that Bank executives AND Congress are accustomed to and make decisions about, and many of whom, will soon be lying in the gutter without one red cent to their name. I pray that even if I loose it ALL, I will still use my voice to the best of my God-given ability, to Scream, if necessary, about the weight of the load that I’ve been forced to carry.

Congress should be ashamed for representing THEIR OWN interests, not the interests and welfare of the American People.