Prince George’s County tops Maryland in foreclosures; County Chair seeks solutions

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Prince George’s County Chair Edward Burroughs III is spearheading an effort to help residents prevent their homes from going into foreclosure.

He said the county is leading the state in foreclosure filings this year, with more than 836 — more than a quarter of the state total. In July, Maryland ranked third highest in the country in foreclosure filings, with one in every 2,566 homes impacted, Burroughs noted.

He called those figures “nothing short of alarming.”

Oxon Hill, Temple Hills and Fort Washington are all considered severe hot spots for foreclosures.

Burroughs suggested the Trump administration’s federal workforce reduction has caused the county to feel severe impacts.

Now, Burroughs is partnering with Strategic Housing Solutions of Prince George’s County to help his residents keep their homes.

“I’ve never been through a foreclosure. I can imagine it’s not good,” Oxon Hill resident Sharon Lawrence told DC News Now. “There’s a lot of things people don’t understand … you have to know what to do and what not to do, and what’s in your best interest.”

The partnership provides residents with hands-on assistance from Strategic Housing Solutions, offering liaisons to attend foreclosure mediations to ensure residents’ required documents are submitted on time and to explore all available options.

A workshop was hosted on Thursday, where residents could meet in person with skilled liaisons to learn valuable skills and get the help they need. Burroughs said they would have similar “Foreclosure Prevention Workshops” as a cornerstone of the partnership.