Concerned homeowners and future homeowners are invited to a free foreclosure prevention workshop presented by the Family Community Housing Association, Inc. and its community partner The National Association of Real Estate Brokers — Investment Division, Inc., Housing Counseling Agency.

The workshop will be the first in a series of "Making Home Mortgage Affordable" workshops being held in Covington. According to their press release, FCHA hopes to reach out to its at-risk borrowers in their service area and the neighboring counties to enable homeowners to stay in their homes during these tough economic times.

Attendees will be able to ask questions and gather valuable information directly from a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency and bank and servicing representatives. There will be more than 15 HUD certified counselors on hand to assist delinquent borrowers by working with lenders directly to help them gain a mortgage restructuring plan that will make payments affordable.

Homeowners will need to bring the following: one month of mortgage statements, utilities and current paystubs; three months of bank statements and at least one year of tax returns; any letters from lender, Sheriff’s office or courts; the homeowner’s insurance policy; all mortgage loan closing documents and a hardship letter.

The workshop’s extensive list of sponsors includes HUD, USDA Rural Development, United Bank, Chase, SunTrust, Freddie Mac and Freddie Mae.

FCHA was formed in 2001 as a nonprofit organization to increase the retention of the affordable housing stock in the Atlanta metropolitan area. By 2005, FCHA had shifted its focus on providing home ownership education services such as Individual pre- and post-purchase counseling, homebuyer education and down payment and closing cost assistance.

Within those first two and a half years of initiating their homeownership services, FCHA had facilitated more than 25 eight-hour home buying education workshops on a monthly basis, which has resulted in assisting more than 400 families and individuals reach affordable home ownership.

The workshop will be held on Aug. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Any Occasion Banquet & Conference Hall located on 3615 Salem Road. The workshop is open to the public. For more information or to register, call (770) 787-4436.