Eastbayri.com

BRISTOL — An informational meeting on the Hardest Hit Fund Rhode Island (HHFRI), a foreclosure-prevention program that assists homeowners having difficulty making mortgage payments, will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at Franklin Court, 530 Wood St.

The meeting will cover the latest changes to HHFRI that have made it easier for those Rhode Islanders to get assistance.

Among the new criteria, homeowners who are unemployed and believe they may qualify can now contact the HHFRI Center at 277-1500 to get an appointment to begin the application process.

Under the original program, all applicants needed to go through a HUD-approved and HHFRI-certified counselor. Homeowners with hardships other than unemployment will continue to seek assistance from a HUD-approved and HHFRI-certified counseling agency, such as the R.I. Housing Help Center at 457-1130.

Another change to the program is that homeowners who own more than one property can now qualify for this assistance. The requirement that homeowners could not own other property has been eliminated. The amount families can have in savings and still qualify for assistance has been increased to $15,000. (You can have any amount in a retirement account such as a 401k or an IRA.)

Struggling homeowners may qualify for this program if they have a documented financial hardship, such as a sudden loss of a job, underemployment, unforeseen medical expenses, and disability of a family’s key wage earner, or costly home repairs as a result of the 2010 spring flooding in Rhode Island.

Also, members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have experienced a drop in income due to deployment are qualified for assistance. (This applies to all personnel in regular and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.)

The free meeting will be in English. For more information, and a list of all community meetings, visit www.HHFRI.org, e-mail info@HHFRI.org or call 277-1500.

The U.S. Treasury has made available to Rhode Islanders $80 million to help those at risk of losing their homes. Rhode Island Housing has been designated by the treasury to oversee the funds. The agency will process, approve and administer the submissions from lenders, servicers and specially trained HHFRI-certified counselors.