Editor:

As a financial counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling, I and my fellow staff members were astounded at the huge glaring omission -- namely, no mention of our agency or the housing services we offer -- in the Journal's March 1 cover article, "Going Once: Who buys, who wins and who loses at foreclosure auctions." Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the North Coast has been serving Humboldt County for over 25 years!  It is a HUD-certified agency -- presently the ONLY local one around -- and is the homeowner's main source of information and education in this community.

We provide pre- and post-purchase education as well as work with individuals on home loan modifications and foreclosure prevention. Housing counseling services are free to the public. Unlike the nebulous "home loan modification companies" mentioned in your article, we are approved by NeighborWorks, a national network of more than 240 community development and affordable housing organizations. Our organization is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and all of our counselors are certified by the National Foundation for Consumer Counseling. Our free service helps individuals navigate the all-too-murky waters of loan modification.

If you are trying to save your home, we are here to help. Our counselors know about the many programs available. They include Keep Your Home California, Home Affordable Modification Program, Home Affordable Refinance Program, and Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives.
We can provide information on short sales, deeds in lieu and transition assistance as well as scam-prevention. We are not lenders, realtors or attorneys. We are not the government. We are your local, nonprofit housing resource. In these very difficult economic times for our county, there are unfortunately many housing scams lurking about. The reality is that there are entities and individuals in our community exploiting and taking advantage of the already vulnerable. Information and education is the key and that is what we provide. CCCS is here to help; we have been all along.  Find us on 11th Street in Arcata, next to the Brio bakery. Call us at 707-822-8536 or visit us on the web at: www.cccsnojuggle.org.

Kerri Cook, Arcata