Subject: What the governor is talking about today
What the Governor’s Talking about Today
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
 
Governor, MSHDA Announce Helping Hardest-Hit Homeowners Fund to Combat Foreclosure
 
The governor today announced in Lansing and Flint that the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), along with banks, credit unions and nonprofit counseling agencies, will launch a statewide program to help eligible Michigan homeowners avoid foreclosure by participating in the state’s new $154.5 million Helping Hardest-Hit Homeowners Fund.
 
The $154.5 million is part of $1.5 billion in federal funds announced by President Obama in February to be used to assist families in the states that have been hit hardest by foreclosures.  MSHDA is one of five state housing finance agencies sharing the funding.
 
The fund is designed to help as many as 17,000 Michigan homeowners avoid foreclosure.  Those who may be eligible include Michigan homeowners who are currently receiving unemployment compensation, homeowners who have fallen behind in their mortgage payments or taxes due to a temporary layoff or medical emergency, and homeowners who can no longer afford their mortgage payments because of lower household income.
 
Eligible homeowners can find out if their mortgage loan servicer is participating in the Helping Hardest-Hit Homeowners Fund by calling 866-946-7432 or visiting www.michigan.gov/HardestHit
 
MSHDA will begin accepting applications from mortgage loan servicers beginning July 12.  Final approval of an application is expected to occur within 48 hours of receipt of a complete application package.  MSHDA is adding additional staff to review and process completed application packages.
 
Lending institutions in support of the program include the Michigan Bankers Association, Michigan Credit Union League and Michigan Association of Community Bankers. 
 
Key messages:
 
•  The Helping Hardest-Hit Homeowners Fund will allow families to stay in their homes and stabilize neighborhoods throughout the state, and help keep the dream of home ownership alive for thousands of Michigan families.
 
•  Homeowners facing foreclosure should call their mortgage loan servicer immediately to determine if they qualify for assistance from the fund.
 
Governor Announces First Michigan Creative Film Alliance Summer Film Institute
 
The governor today announced the start of a collaborative alliance among the state’s three major research universities to train students in filmmaking.
 
Beginning today is the 2010 Creative Film Alliance Summer Film Institute, an intensive eight-week program at the KBS Conference Center on Gull Lake.  It’s bringing together Hollywood professionals with university faculty and using a professional film model as a learning environment for students from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and Wayne State University.
 
The film programs at Michigan’s three great research universities have launched an innovative, collaborative alliance to drive talent and resources toward creating and sustaining an indigenous film community across the state.  MSU, U-M and Wayne State will leverage their combined expertise and resources in the film arts to create synergy and build a pool of talent that will invest their creative talents in Michigan.
 
At the summer film institute, the professional film training will center on creating a single narrative film based on a student-produced script vetted by a team of faculty members representing the three universities.  Students will begin the program with an intensive pre-production retreat and will break into production departments and determine roles on the set.  Following the retreat, the program will move to one of the universities for the production and post-production phases.
 
Key messages:
 
•  Michigan has hosted more than 100 film and television productions since the governor signed into law sweeping new film incentives.  Production spending by filmmakers topped $125 million in 2008 and $220 million in 2009.
 
•  We’ve put Michigan on course as a great filmmaking center, and this institute will train students to work and succeed in this industry.  Just over two years into our film initiative, we’re creating an entirely new industry that offers good-paying jobs to those trained to do the vital work it requires.
 
•  Filmmaking is a growth industry and a key to keeping our most creative and talented young people here in Michigan.
 
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