Union Plus Mortgage Kept LIUNA Member from Facing Foreclosure

Herbert Collins of Chicago, IL, and Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 5 faced stress and instability as the recession left him without work for months. Fortunately, his union benefits came through for him by saving his home two separate times over the past five years. Because Collins had a Union Plus Mortgage, he was able to tap into assistance to cover the mortgage payments when he was out of work.

"The Union Plus Mortgage Program has been great," Collins says. "It helped get me through tough times over the last several years and protected my home. I just want to say how thankful I am."

Collins, a LIUNA member for nearly 24 years, has seen his share of economic slowdowns over the years. He says it was difficult to make ends meet both in 2008 and with the recent recession. "I've always put my faith in God to get me through," he says. "It was tough."

For too many working families, conditions like these have resulted in evictions and foreclosures. But as a union member with a union mortgage, Collins was able to protect his home with a unique Union Plus benefit.

The Mortgage Assistance Program, a union-only program, can cover your Union Plus Mortgage payment if you're out of work during unemployment, disability, or strike. The program provides interest-free loans to union members, as well as their parents and children, who have had a Union Plus Mortgage for 12 months or more. The first $1,000 of the loan is a grant that never needs to be repaid.

When the Economy Stalled, Union Benefits Were There to Help

Collins learned about this union member-only benefit at a union-sponsored safety seminar several years ago. "There was a table set up, and I talked to some nice people about the program," he says. "I picked up a brochure, took it home, and put it in my files. Of course, I never thought I'd actually need it."

But Collins did end up needing it - twice. "I first tapped into the Union Plus Mortgage Assistance Program in 2008," says Collins who received a no-interest loan to cover six months of his mortgage payments. "It helped me pay my mortgage and as soon as work picked up again, I started paying it back as fast as I could."

Because he had paid his assistance loan back, Collins was eligible for six more months of help the next time work slowed down. He also received a $1,000 grant which does not need to be paid back.

Today, Collins is back to work full-time with the stress of the recession behind him and he tells everyone he works with about the benefits of having a Union Plus Mortgage. "Union Plus came through for me, just when I needed help most," says Collins.

$8 Million in Assistance to Union Families

Since its inception, this special union benefit program has paid out over $8 million in assistance, helping union members keep their home loans current.

Considering the purchase or refinance of a home? The Union Plus Mortgage Program, provided by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, offers a full-range of mortgage products for union members, their parents and children.

To learn more, visit the Union Plus Mortgage Program webpage or call 1-866-802-7307. Reps dedicated to the union member market will be happy to answer your questions.