Phoenix Web site can help residents keep their homes

Phoenix has launched a Web site to help more residents hold on to their homes.

The site was spearheaded by Phoenix's Neighborhood Services Department. It provides advice on how to contact a lender, information on how neighbors can fight the blight that often results from foreclosed homes and a list of counseling agencies that provide services, often free of charge, to homeowners at risk of defaulting on their loans.

The site can steer residents toward rental housing assistance programs and home ownership opportunities.

"People often are embarrassed, ashamed and frightened " about potentially losing their homes, said David Ramirez, a spokesman for the Neighborhood Services Department. "Hopefully this (Web site) will erase some of that and get them started toward keeping their homes."

Ramirez said that the Web site will evolve over time in response to feedback from its users. It will provide whatever information and assistance the city can to prevent residents from foreclosing on their homes, he said.

The site can be directly accessed from the front page of the city's Web site, http://phoenix.gov.