Homeowner Rights

The North Carolina Justice Center gives voice to low-income homeowners in the General Assembly, regulatory agencies, and the courts.

Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy: The NC Justice Center helped create regulations on mortgage lenders and loan servicers that protect homeowners from unscrupulous practices, and we secured passage of a law that cracked down on “foreclosure rescue” and other scams.

The NC Justice Center also worked to enact protections for homeowners facing foreclosure, and we have helped numerous homeowners avoid the loss of their homes. The NC Justice Center continues to advocate for increasing protections for vulnerable homeowners, including increasing protections for North Carolinians whose houses are located in homeowner associations (HOAs).

Litigation: Together with our legal services partners, we have provided free legal representation to hundreds of homeowners with low incomes who were victims of abusive or illegal lending practices or misconduct by mortgage servicers. We have saved homes from foreclosure and secured cash settlements for families whose homes were threatened by unlawful practices. We have also represented homeowners who have fallen victim to scams or who have been threatened by foreclosure due to the mistakes or abusive conduct of loan servicers.

Types of cases we handle:

  • Foreclosure defense
  • Predatory or unfair mortgage lending or mortgage servicer disputes
  • Homeowner Association (HOA) foreclosures
  • Tax foreclosures
  • Reverse mortgage issues
  • “Zombie” second mortgages
  • Unfair and deceptive installment sales contracts/rent-to-own transactions
  • Mobile home park issues
  • Foreclosure rescue and other equity-stripping scams

In addition to our case work, we also engage in advocacy at the local, state, and national level on housing issues. We have also been invited by the UNC School of Government to provide trainings for new clerks of court on issues regarding the foreclosure process and homeowner protections.

If you need assistance, please see our Getting Legal Assistance page.