Safeguard Properties

Mortgage Delinquencies Increase in the Fourth Quarter of 2025

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
February 12, 2026

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association

The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties increased to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.26 percent of all loans outstanding at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey.

The delinquency rate was up 27 basis points from the third quarter of 2025 and up 28 basis points from one year ago. The percentage of loans on which foreclosure actions were started in the fourth quarter remained unchanged at 0.20 percent.

“Mortgage delinquencies increased across all three major loan types – Conventional, FHA, and VA – in the last three months of the year,” said Marina Walsh, CMB, MBA’s Vice President of Industry Analysis. “The most pronounced uptick was with FHA loans, which reached a delinquency rate of 11.52 percent, the highest level since the second quarter of 2021. While earlier-stage FHA delinquencies remained relatively flat compared to the previous quarter, later-stage, 90+ day delinquencies increased by 76 basis points. The FHA foreclosure inventory rate also grew to the highest level since the first quarter of 2020.”

Added Walsh, “The fourth quarter results may have been impacted by the expiration of pandemic-era, FHA relief options as well as disparities in the labor market – a key determinant of mortgage delinquency levels.”

Walsh noted that serious delinquencies – which include loans 90+ days delinquent and in foreclosure – vary by year of origination.  For FHA loans, the vintage years 2020 and 2021 are performing better than the vintage years 2022 and 2023, when mortgage rates rose and affordability was especially stretched. With FHA volume increasing, mortgage rates moderating, and borrower credit characteristics improving on newer FHA originations, the performance of recent cohorts may temper stress on overall FHA portfolios.

Key findings of MBA’s Fourth Quarter of 2025 National Delinquency Survey:

Compared to last quarter, the seasonally adjusted mortgage delinquency rate increased for all loans outstanding. By stage, the 30-day delinquency rate decreased 5 basis points to 2.07 percent, the 60-day delinquency rate increased 16 basis points to 0.92 percent, and the 90-day delinquency bucket increased 16 basis points to 1.27 percent.

By loan type, the total seasonally adjusted delinquency rate for conventional loans increased 27 basis points to 2.89 percent over the previous quarter. The total FHA seasonally adjusted delinquency rate increased 74 basis points to 11.52 percent, and the total VA seasonally adjusted delinquency rate increased  10 basis points to 4.60 percent.

On a year-over-year basis, total mortgage delinquencies increased for all loans outstanding. The delinquency rate increased 27 basis points for conventional loans, increased 49 basis points for FHA loans and decreased 10 basis points for VA loans from the previous year.

The delinquency rate includes loans that are at least one payment past due but does not include loans in the process of foreclosure. The percentage of loans in the foreclosure process at the end of the fourth quarter was 0.53 percent, up 3 basis points from the third quarter of 2025 and 8 basis points higher than one year ago.

The non-seasonally adjusted seriously delinquent rate, the percentage of loans that are 90 days or more past due or in the process of foreclosure, was 1.85 percent. It increased 24 basis points from last quarter and  increased 17 basis points from last year. The seriously delinquent rate increased 9 basis points for conventional loans, increased 106 basis points for FHA loans, and increased 28 basis points for VA loans from the previous quarter. Compared to a year ago, the seriously delinquent rate remained unchanged for conventional loans, increased 104 basis points for FHA loans and remained unchanged for VA loans.

The five states with the largest quarterly increases in their overall delinquency rate were: Mississippi (109 basis points), Louisiana (89 basis points), Maryland (87 basis points), Oklahoma (86 basis points), and Indiana (86 basis points).

For the purposes of the survey, MBA asks servicers to report loans in forbearance as delinquent if the payment was not made based on the original terms of the mortgage.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

Foreclosure Auction Volume Increases 48% to Nearly 6 Year High in Q4 2025

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 29, 2026

Source: Auction.com

Foreclosure auction volume increased from a year ago in 42 states and for all loan types.

Roll rate to foreclosure auction increased to a more than three-year high as distressed property equity continued to erode.

Bank-owned (REO) auction volume increased 21 percent to a more than five-year high, still 54 percent below pre-pandemic level.

A 22-quarter high in pricing at foreclosure auction corresponds to a 23-quarter low in buyer demand.

A 21-quarter low in pricing at REO auction corresponds to a nearly two-year high in buyer demand.

Foreclosure auction buyers are willing to pay more than a year ago in half of major markets, including New York, Atlanta and San Antonio.

Q4 2025 showed foreclosure auction supply increasing year-over-year, including a more than three-year high in conversion of scheduled foreclosure properties into completed auctions. Auction buyer activity weakened, led by a lower sales rate and fewer saves per property brought to auction. Pricing signals were mixed: buyers paid slightly more relative to estimated value at foreclosure auction, but seller asking prices rose faster, contributing to a wider foreclosure bid-ask spread. In contrast, seller pricing at REO auction declined, contributing to a narrower REO bid-ask spread and a higher REO auction sales rate.

OVERVIEW

The sharp divergence between foreclosure auction pricing and REO auction pricing in the fourth quarter of 2025 provides a good natural experiment illustrating the impact of pricing on buyer demand (see more in the Distressed Pricing section below).

A survey of Auction.com buyers in early January 2026 shows a slight increase in willingness to buy compared to the previous quarter: 23 percent of those surveyed said market conditions were making them more willing to buy at auction, up from 19 percent in the previous quarter. That 23 percent was slightly below the 24 percent who said market conditions were making them more willing to buy in the first quarter of 2025.

“If rates continue lower I’ll buy more,” wrote survey respondent Michael, an Auction.com buyer in Texas.

DISTRESSED DEMAND

Foreclosure auction buyer activity slowed in Q4 2025. The foreclosure auction sales rate — a good measurement of buyers’ willingness to buy at the price provided — declined 7 percent quarter-over-quarter and 15 percent year-over-year to a 23-quarter low. The sales rate declined steadily throughout the quarter, ending at a 68-month low in December.

The sales rate decreased from a year ago in 69 percent of 88 major markets analyzed, including Chicago (down 16 percent), Dallas-Fort Worth (down 27 percent), Houston (down 33 percent), Atlanta (down 20 percent) and St. Louis (down 19 percent).

“Waiting to see how current events and policies of the U.S. government are going to shape this year,” wrote survey respondent David, an Auction.com buyer in California, where the sales rate decreased in five of six metros analyzed.

Markets with annual increases included New York (up 2 percent), Phoenix (up 18 percent), Minneapolis-St. Paul (up 2 percent), Miami (up 19 percent) and Pittsburgh (up 40 percent).

The highest sales rates (buyers most willing to buy at the price provided) were in El Paso, Texas; Buffalo, New York; Toledo, Ohio; Boston, Massachusetts; and Richmond, Virginia. The lowest sales rates (least willing to buy) were in Minneapolis-St. Paul; Corpus Christi, Texas; Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana; Flint, Michigan; and Pueblo, Colorado.

REO bidder engagement also weakened: REO bidders per asset dropped 14 percent quarter-over-quarter and was down 17 percent year-over-year to a 31-quarter low (lowest since Q1 2018). But counter to the declining foreclosure sales rate trend, the REO auction sales rate increased 29 percent from both the previous quarter and a year ago to the highest level since Q1 2024. This could be in part due to more favorable pricing at REO auction (see pricing section).

“My pool of workers are influencing how quickly I can put a property on the market.  It’s getting harder and harder to find good help,” wrote survey respondent Elaine, an Auction.com buyer in Missouri.

Price Demand

There were early data indicating buyers were willing to pay more at auction, at least in some markets. This could be a sign of recovering confidence in the housing market. Foreclosure auction buyers paid an average of 67.4 percent of estimated value in Q4 2025, up from 66.2 percent in the previous quarter and 66.6 percent a year ago. Foreclosure price demand decreased throughout the quarter after hitting a 19-month high in October.

REO auction buyers paid an average of 65.2 percent of estimated value in Q4 2025, up from 65.0 percent in the previous quarter but down from 65.6 percent a year ago.

A new automated valuation model (AVM) was used to calculate price-to-value in this report. This new AVM was applied retroactively to calculate price-to-value ratios in previous quarters, but these ratios may not line up with numbers published in previous quarterly reports. The new AVM is calibrated to identify the value of the house in average condition while the previous AVM was calibrated to identify the value of the home in fully repaired condition.

Foreclosure price demand decreased from a year ago in exactly half of the 88 major markets analyzed (44), including Chicago, Dallas, Houston, St. Louis and Phoenix. Foreclosure price demand increased from a year ago in the other 44 markets, including New York, Atlanta, San Antonio, Philadelphia and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Markets with the strongest foreclosure price demand were El Paso, Texas; Phoenix; Sacramento; New York; and Miami. Markets with the weakest price demand were Grand Rapids, Michigan; Minneapolis-St. Paul; the Quad Cities in Iowa; Pittsburgh; and Gulfport, Mississippi.

DISTRESSED SUPPLY

Scheduled foreclosure auctions were unchanged quarter-over-quarter but up 19 percent year-over-year and at 62 percent of the Q1 2020 level (the same share as last quarter).

Foreclosure properties brought to auction (BTA) were up 7 percent quarter-over-quarter and up 48 percent year-over-year to a 23-quarter high, reaching 61 percent of the Q1 2020 level. Q4 2025 marked the fourth consecutive quarter with an annual increase in foreclosure BTA, and the 48 percent increase was the biggest since Q3 2022.

Foreclosure BTA volume hit a 69-month high (highest since March 2020) in October, then decreased seasonally in November and December, although November’s and December’s numbers were still up year-over-year.

Foreclosure BTA volume in Q4 2025 increased from a year ago in 43 states, including Texas (up 92 percent), Florida (up 176 percent), Ohio (up 4 percent), Illinois (up 41 percent) and Georgia (up 140 percent).

“Expecting more inventory in the second quarter of 2026. This is impacting how I am currently investing as more inventory will most likely lower overall prices,” wrote survey respondent Patrick, an Auction.com buyer in Ohio.

Despite the widespread annual increases in Q4 2025, only 13 states posted foreclosure auction volume that was above the pre-pandemic level of Q1 2020. Those states include Texas, Louisiana, Colorado, Minnesota and Oklahoma.

Foreclosure BTA volume was up year-over-year for all loan types, led by VA-insured loans (up 428 percent). A 2024 foreclosure moratorium on most VA-insured loans contributed to the large increase in that category. Other annual increases included FHA-insured (up 56 percent), GSE (up 33 percent), privately held (up 12 percent) and USDA-insured loans (up 10 percent).

The roll rate from scheduled foreclosure auction to foreclosure BTA (BTA rate) was up 7 percent quarter-over-quarter and up 24 percent year-over-year to a 14-quarter high of 26.6 percent, but still below the 2019 average level of 30.7 percent. This shows more properties scheduled for auction are actually making it to auction. The BTA rate was relatively level at around 26 percent to 27 percent for all three months in the quarter.

The average loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for properties scheduled for foreclosure auction was down 1 percent from a nine-quarter high in the previous quarter but still up 5 percent year-over-year. A higher LTV means less equity in properties scheduled for auction, and less equity is likely helping to boost the BTA rate.

REO BTA volume was up 8 percent quarter-over-quarter and up 21 percent year-over-year to a 22-quarter high (highest since Q2 2020) and at 46 percent of the Q1 2020 level.

Vacant REO BTA increased 24 percent year-over-year to a 22-quarter high (highest since Q2 2020). Vacant properties accounted for 54 percent of all REO BTA, matching the previous two quarters for the highest level since Q4 2021.

“I do prefer more of the vacant properties. They are more appealing as there is a quicker turnaround for selling without another party involved,” wrote survey respondent Natalie.

DISTRESSED PRICING

Pricing increased at foreclosure auction but decreased at REO auction. Those divergent trends contributed to contrasting trends in the bid-ask spread and the sales rate, illustrating the impact of auction pricing on buyer demand.

Foreclosure auction pricing: The average credit bid-to-value increased by 200 basis points from the previous quarter and was up 351 basis points from a year ago. Although buyers were willing to pay slightly more at foreclosure auction in Q4 2025, the jump in seller asking prices was much sharper, contributing to a wider foreclosure bid-ask spread of 772 basis points, up from 735 basis points in the previous quarter but down from 839 basis points a year ago.

The 200-point rise in foreclosure auction pricing also corresponded to a 330-point decrease in sales rate at foreclosure auction.

“Just mostly on pause ’til rates and prices come back down,” said survey respondent William, an Auction.com buyer in Ohio.

REO auction pricing: The average credit bid-to-value at REO auction decreased by 197 basis points from the previous quarter and was down 495 basis points from a year ago to the lowest pricing since Q3 2020. This helped narrow the bid-ask spread at REO auction to 1,009 basis points in Q4 2025, down from 1,222 basis points in the previous quarter and down from 1,461 basis points a year ago.

The nearly 200-point quarterly drop in REO auction pricing also corresponded to a 400-point rise in sales rate at REO auction.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

Foreclosure Activity Rises Annually for the Eleventh Straight Month

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
February 9, 2026

Source: ATTOM

ATTOM, the leading provider of property data, AI-powered analytics, and real estate intelligence solutions, today released its January 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows there were a total of 40,534 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings— default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions — down 10 percent from a month ago and up 32 percent from a year ago.

“Foreclosure activity in January rose year over year for the eleventh straight month, continuing a trend that has now carried into early 2026,” said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. “Foreclosure starts were up 26 percent from a year ago, while completed foreclosures increased nearly 59 percent.  Although foreclosure activity has been rising steadily, overall levels remain well below historic peaks, suggesting that most homeowners are still on stable footing even as higher housing costs and broader economic pressures create stress in certain pockets of the market.”

Delaware, Nevada, and Florida led the nation in worst foreclosure rates

Across the nation, one in every 3,547 housing units had a foreclosure filing in January 2026. States with the worst foreclosure rates were Delaware (one in every 1,612 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Nevada (one in every 1,983 housing units); Florida (one in every 2,067 housing units); South Carolina (on in every 2,351 housing units); and Maryland (one in every 2,430 housing units).

Among metro areas with populations of 200,000 or more, Trenton, NJ recorded the worst foreclosure rate in January 2026, with one filing for every 1,087 housing units.  Following Trenton were Punta Gorda, FL (one in every 1,187 housing units); Fayetteville, NC (one in every 1,257); Lakeland, FL (one in every 1,262); and Vallejo, CA (one in every 1,287).

Florida, Texas, and California topped the nation for foreclosure starts

Lenders started the foreclosure process on 26,369 U.S. properties in January 2026, down 7 percent from last month but up 26 percent from a year ago.

States that had the greatest number of foreclosure starts in January 2026 included: Florida (3,523 foreclosure starts); Texas (3,116 foreclosure starts); California (2,790 foreclosure starts); Georgia (1,351 foreclosure starts); and New York (1,304 foreclosure starts).

Those major metropolitan areas with a population greater than 200,000 that had the greatest number of foreclosure starts in January 2026 included: New York, NY (1,295 foreclosure starts); Chicago, IL (1,053 foreclosure starts); Houston, TX (1,040 foreclosure starts); Miami, FL (851 foreclosure starts); and Los Angeles, CA (781 foreclosure starts).

Foreclosure Completions Post Year-Over-Year Increase

In January 2026, Lenders repossessed 4,714 U.S. properties through completed foreclosures (REOs), a decrease of 21 percent from last month and an increase of 59 percent from last year.

States that had the greatest number of REOs in January 2026, included: Texas (573 REOs); California (415 REOs); Florida (327 REOs); Pennsylvania (311 REOs); and Illinois (267 REOs).

Those major metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with a population greater than 200,000 that saw the greatest number of REOs in January 2026 included: Chicago, IL (248 REOs); Philadelphia, PA (165 REOs); Houston, TX (152 REOs); Dallas, TX (122 REOs); and New York, NY (114 REOs).

Key Highlights from the January 2026 Foreclosure Data

ATTOM’s January 2026 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report shows foreclosure activity rising year over year for the eleventh straight month, with 40,534 U.S. properties reporting a foreclosure filing. Foreclosure starts increased 26 percent from a year ago, while completed foreclosures jumped nearly 59 percent, continuing a gradual normalization trend as the market moves into 2026.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Mississippi Severe Winter Storm

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
February 6, 2026

***LAST UPDATED: 5/19/26***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Mississippi to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe winter storm from January 23-27, 2026.  The following counties have been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Adams
  • Alcorn
  • Attala
  • Benton
  • Bolivar
  • Calhoun
  • Carroll
  • Claiborne
  • Coahoma
  • DeSoto
  • Grenada
  • Holmes
  • Humphreys
  • Issaquena
  • Jefferson
  • Lafayette
  • Lee
  • Leflore
  • Marshall
  • Mississippi Choctaw Indian Reservation
  • Montgomery
  • Panola
  • Pontotoc
  • Prentiss
  • Quitman
  • Sharkey
  • Sunflower
  • Tallahatchie
  • Tate
  • Tippah
  • Tishomingo
  • Tunica
  • Union
  • Warren
  • Washington
  • Yalobusha
  • Yazoo

 

Public Assistance:

  • Adams
  • Alcorn
  • Amite
  • Attala
  • Benton
  • Bolivar
  • Calhoun
  • Carroll
  • Chickasaw
  • Choctaw
  • Claiborne
  • Clarke
  • Clay
  • Coahoma
  • Copiah
  • Covington
  • DeSoto
  • Forrest
  • Franklin
  • George
  • Greene
  • Grenada
  • Hancock
  • Harrison
  • Hinds
  • Holmes
  • Humphreys
  • Issaquena
  • Itawamba
  • Jackson
  • Jasper
  • Jefferson
  • Jefferson Davis
  • Jones
  • Kemper
  • Lafayette
  • Lamar
  • Lauderdale
  • Lawrence
  • Leake
  • Lee
  • Leflore
  • Lincoln
  • Lowndes
  • Madison
  • Marion
  • Marshall
  • Mississippi Choctaw Indian Reservation
  • Monroe
  • Montgomery
  • Neshoba
  • Newton
  • Noxubee
  • Oktibbeha
  • Panola
  • Pearl River
  • Perry
  • Pike
  • Pontotoc
  • Prentiss
  • Quitman
  • Rankin
  • Scott
  • Sharkey
  • Simpson
  • Smith
  • Stone
  • Sunflower
  • Tallahatchie
  • Tate
  • Tippah
  • Tishomingo
  • Tunica
  • Union
  • Walthall
  • Warren
  • Washington
  • Wayne
  • Webster
  • Wilkinson
  • Winston
  • Yalobusha
  • Yazoo

 

Mississippi Severe Winter Storm (DR-4899-MS)

President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Mississippi

Map of Affected Areas

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Tennessee Severe Winter Storm

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
February 6, 2026

***LAST UPDATED: 5/19/26***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Tennessee to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by a severe winter storm from January 22-27, 2026.  The following counties have been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Benton
  • Carroll
  • Cheatham
  • Chester
  • Clay
  • Davidson
  • Decatur
  • Dickson
  • Dyer
  • Fayette
  • Hardeman
  • Hardin
  • Henderson
  • Hickman
  • Lewis
  • Macon
  • Madison
  • Maury
  • McNairy
  • Montgomery
  • Perry
  • Robertson
  • Rutherford
  • Shelby
  • Sumner
  • Trousdale
  • Wayne
  • Williamson
  • Wilson

 

Public Assistance:

  • Anderson
  • Bedford
  • Benton
  • Bledsoe
  • Blount
  • Bradley
  • Campbell
  • Cannon
  • Carroll
  • Carter
  • Cheatham
  • Chester
  • Claiborne
  • Clay
  • Cocke
  • Coffee
  • Crockett
  • Cumberland
  • Davidson
  • DeKalb
  • Decatur
  • Dickson
  • Dyer
  • Fayette
  • Fentress
  • Franklin
  • Gibson
  • Giles
  • Grainger
  • Greene
  • Grundy
  • Hamblen
  • Hamilton
  • Hancock
  • Hardeman
  • Hardin
  • Hawkins
  • Haywood
  • Henderson
  • Henry
  • Hickman
  • Houston
  • Humphreys
  • Jackson
  • Jefferson
  • Johnson
  • Knox
  • Lake
  • Lauderdale
  • Lawrence
  • Lewis
  • Lincoln
  • Loudon
  • Macon
  • Madison
  • Marion
  • Marshall
  • Maury
  • McMinn
  • McNairy
  • Meigs
  • Monroe
  • Montgomery
  • Moore
  • Morgan
  • Obion
  • Overton
  • Perry
  • Pickett
  • Polk
  • Putnam
  • Rhea
  • Roane
  • Robertson
  • Rutherford
  • Scott
  • Sequatchie
  • Sevier
  • Shelby
  • Smith
  • Stewart
  • Sullivan
  • Sumner
  • Tipton
  • Trousdale
  • Unicoi
  • Union
  • Van Buren
  • Warren
  • Washington
  • Wayne
  • Weakley
  • White
  • Williamson
  • Wilson

 

Tennessee Severe Winter Storm (DR-4898-TN)

President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Tennessee

Map of Affected Areas

List of Affected Zip Codes

 

Additional Resources

FEMA’s web site

FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process

Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts

HUD Moratorium on Foreclosure

VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters

Freddie Mac Disaster Relief Policies

Fannie Mae’s Natural Disaster Relief Policies

HUD Mortgagee Letter 2026-03: Updates to Bidding at Foreclosure and Post-Foreclosure Sales Efforts

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 29, 2026

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released Mortgagee Letter 2026-03: Updates to Bidding at Foreclosure and Post-Foreclosure Sales Efforts.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

Lorain County Land Bank Partners on Regional Affordable Housing Initiative

Posted on by Safeguard

One Community Update
January 16, 2026

Source: Cleveland.com

The Lorain County Land Bank is partnering with the cities of Lorain, Elyria and Oberlin, along with Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, on a regional housing initiative tied to Ohio’s Welcome Home Ohio program.

WHO provides up to $22.8 million per fiscal year in grant funding to support the purchase, construction and rehabilitation of residential properties.

If awarded, the grants would support new construction and rehabilitation projects intended to increase attainable homeownership and reinforce neighborhood stability throughout Lorain County.

Local officials say demand for the funding is expected to be high due to the program’s success since its launch.

Through the collaboration, the Lorain County Land Bank is working with a group of experienced builders and developers, including Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, Unibilt and Community Building Partners.

Officials said the team was selected based on its prior experience delivering projects under the Welcome Home Ohio program. Grant award announcements are expected within 60 to 90 days.

Local leaders said the partnership is aimed at increasing affordable, owner-occupied housing while promoting long-term neighborhood stability across Lorain County.

The effort focuses on reinvestment in communities that have experienced limited new housing development in recent decades.

County commissioners emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach to addressing housing needs. Officials said collaboration between the county, municipalities and nonprofit partners strengthens neighborhoods while supporting workforce housing goals.

Municipal leaders from Lorain, Elyria and Oberlin echoed that sentiment, noting that housing challenges often extend beyond city boundaries and require regional solutions.

Oberlin officials highlighted the role of partnerships in expanding affordable housing options, while Elyria leaders pointed to the potential for reinvestment in existing neighborhoods.

Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity officials said the Welcome Home Ohio funding aligns with the organization’s broader mission to increase homeownership opportunities.

The partnership is also expected to support Habitat’s ongoing efforts to expand housing access across Northeast Ohio.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership Breaks New Ground in 2025

Posted on by Safeguard

One Community Update
January 19, 2026

Source: The Business Journal

Last year, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership broke new ground in the services it provides.

TNP kicked off new construction for the first time, building four houses at the former Emerson Elementary School site.

“TNP has invested $1.2 million into the neighborhood through the construction and resale of 4 single family, market rate houses to owner-occupants,” according to TNP’s 2025 Annual Report. “All four units will be sold to owner-occupants and it is expected that the sale price will be at or near market rate for the neighborhood.”

Prior to last year, TNP’s work, started in 2010, centered on remediating blighted and renovating vacant properties. That work continued in 2025 when the organization completed 114 residential and four commercial demolitions. That brings the total number of TNP demolitions to more than 1,500.

“The mission of the Trumbull County Land Bank is to return land and vacant abandoned properties to productive use, reduce blight, increase property values, support community land-use goals and improve the quality of life for all county residents,” according to the report. “TNP and the Land Bank have diligently worked to build wealth in neighborhoods through the acquisition and disposition of properties, which buyers invest their time and resources in to create homeownership opportunities and equity in their property.”

TNP manages the land bank.

TNP finished its seventh year of its Emergency Home Repair Program. Last year it helped 190 households – 90 in the city of Warren and 100 throughout the rest of Trumbull County.

“In 2025, 28.81% of the households served were minority households, 55.932% of households served were located in [low- to moderate-income] neighborhoods, and 100% of households served were LMI,” the report says.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

Land Bank, Town Partner to Convert Beach Homes into Attainable Housing

Posted on by Safeguard

One Community Update
January 29, 2026

Source: The Inquirer and Mirror

The Nantucket Affordable Housing Trust and Land Bank have worked out quite the win-win for islanders.

The two entities are partnering to provide middle-income homeownership opportunities on the island’s west end by moving existing residential structures from 41 Jefferson Ave., a Land Bank property and public beach, to 158 Madaket Road, a vacant lot that is about to be purchased by the Trust for $2 million.

Three of the five dwellings on the beachfront Jefferson Avenue property will be moved to 158 Madaket Road, totaling eight bedrooms.

Two will be moved to a Land Bank property at 159 Hummock Pond Road and become employee housing.

The hope is to move the buildings this spring, likely in April or May, Land Bank executive director Rachael Freeman said.

The moving costs for all five dwellings will be covered by the Land Bank, but considering the project is still in the procurement process “we won’t really know the true costs until after we receive competitive bids,” she said Tuesday.

The entire process of dividing the units, moving them and then restoring them was estimated by Freeman last year to cost between $6 million and $10 million.

The Land Bank had been looking to open up the .94-acre Jefferson Avenue lot since it purchased it in November 2024 for $26 million with the intention of making a new public beach on Nantucket’s north shore just outside downtown.

While the new beach was open to the public this past season with the structures still in place, removing the dwellings will make the property more accessible to the public.

But that’s just one of many up-sides to the arrangement, Freeman said.

“There are homeownership opportunities being made readily available to islanders, the buildings themselves are being preserved and re-used on the island, the Land Bank will be able to see fulfillment of the plan for the 41 Jefferson property by fully opening this new acre-sized beach to the public with ready access,” she said. “The Affordable Housing Trust and Land Bank continue to build on our partnership and shared interest in supporting and strengthening our community through this joint collaboration.”

Town housing director Kristie Ferrantella told the Affordable Housing Trust last week that the units will help serve the island’s “missing middle,” those that make too much to qualify for affordable housing units but make too little to afford market-rate homes.

On Nantucket that is defined as earning between 150 and 240 percent of the area-median-income (between $229,650 and $367,440 for a family of four).

The dwellings will also be year-round deed restricted.

“The Housing Department and the Affordable Housing Trust are excited that this collaboration with the NLB is coming to fruition. It is creating much needed homeownership opportunities, and it is an example of the production that results from collaborative efforts. This is an ongoing project that has been in the works for several months,” Ferrantella said in a statement Tuesday.

“This partnership is a strong complement to the initiatives already underway to expand year-round homeownership opportunities on Nantucket. It shows how housing and environmental goals can be advanced together: keeping existing structures in use, stewarding conservation land responsibly and creating deed-restricted homeownership units for year-round residents,” she said.

Housing staff has been in talks with Franz Peter Arzt, owner of the Madaket Road property, over the last several weeks, negotiating a bargain sale in which he would take slightly less than the market price of the property and write off the remainder as a charitable donation.

The property was listed for $2,375,000. It is assessed at just under $1.5 million.

The Trust authorized the purchase and sale agreement last Thursday and closing is scheduled for March 9 pending authorization from the Select Board.

Arzt “expressed a strong interest in seeing this property being used to support Nantucket’s affordable and attainable housing goals,” Ferrantella said last week.

The lot comes with an already-approved septic system design that allows for the eight bedrooms that will be moved on-site.

The $2 million being spent by the Trust will come from funds previously approved by Town Meeting voters, specifically a 2024 vote that allowed the town to borrow $45 million for the purposes of property acquisition and attainable housing development. About $39 million of that still remains, Ferrantella added.

The Land Bank and Trust are also partnering on the purchase of a conservation restriction on the property.

“Housing stability is also a sustainability issue – when people who work here can live here, it strengthens our community and reduces pressure on limited resources. We’re proud of this collaboration and we look forward to building on it with future projects,” Ferrantella said.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

Los Angeles Wildfires One Year Later: The Long Road to Recovery

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 7, 2026

Source: Cotality.com

One year ago, the Santa Ana winds fueled one of the most destructive wildfire events in the history of Los Angeles. The Palisades and Eaton fires swept through the region, leaving a landscape defined by ash and uncertainty. The immediate aftermath saw approximately 20,000 properties encompassed by the fire perimeters and insured loss estimates ranging between $35 billion and $45 billion.

As we mark the one-year anniversary of this disaster, focus has shifted from immediate crisis management to the long-term realities of recovery. The data reveals a complex picture of stalled rebuilding efforts, high investor activity, and a community still grappling with the true cost of the devastation.

The state of the destruction

To understand the status of L.A.’s recovery, start with the scope of the damage. Cotality data shows that of 21,132 single-family properties affected by the fires, 10,563 of these homes were designated as “destroyed” by California. This classification implies damage exceeding 50% of the structure.

While the smoke has long cleared, physical recovery is lagging. The vast majority of homeowners whose properties were destroyed remain on an unclear path forward. The sheer volume of total losses has created a bottleneck in resources, labor, and the permitting process. A similar situation played out in the Lahaina rebuilds, where the sluggish pace of construction markets struggled to keep up with the demand of simultaneous projects.

The permitting bottleneck: by the numbers

The pace of reconstruction has not kept up with the urgent need for housing. The data reveals a process that is moving down a funnel.

According to the 2025 LA County Permitting Progress Dashboard as of December 15, 2025, officials have received 2,700 rebuild applications. While this represents a significant effort by residents to move forward, the approval pipeline is clogged.

Data shows that only 1,660 parcels have been cleared with full building plans received. More concerning is the number of projects that have actually broken ground. As of mid-December 2025, only 1,011 building permits had been issued.

And finally, the reality of the rebuild is even starker when looking at completion rates. Currently, 455 new residential rebuilding projects are currently in construction, but only six new residential constructions have been completed. This means that one year after the fires, a negligible fraction of the destroyed homes is ready for re-occupancy.

For those attempting to rebuild or repair, the challenges have been financial and logistical. Beyond the obvious structural destruction, the region faced massive “hidden” costs. In the months following the fires, additional living expenses (ALE) for displaced policyholders were estimated to exceed $500 million per month.

Trends in resales and investor activity

One of the most telling indicators of the recovery status is real estate activity within the burn scars. Rather than rebuilding immediately, a distinct portion of homeowners have chosen to sell their lots.

According to Cotality analysis, 6.6% of the destroyed properties, or roughly 694 homes, have been resold in the past year. While this percentage may seem low, it is significantly higher than the resale rates for properties that suffered only minor damage (2.4%) or no damage at all (1.9%). This suggests that for many residents, the prospect of navigating the reconstruction process was less appealing than moving elsewhere.

The data further reveals who is buying these distressed properties. Among the destroyed homes that were resold, 45% were flagged as purchases by investors, defined as buyers owning three or more properties. However, this figure likely underrepresents the true scale of professional acquisition. When accounting for buyers using corporate structures such as LLCs to purchase vacant lots, the share of properties sold to investors or companies jumps to approximately 77%.

This trend indicates a shift in neighborhood composition. The recovery phase is being driven less by original residents returning to their family homes and more by developers and investors anticipating future value.

Building for resilience

The one-year mark serves as a critical checkpoint. The recovery of Los Angeles mirrors the difficulties faced by other wildfire-prone regions, yet it also offers an opportunity to rebuild with greater resilience.

Much of the devastation occurred in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where human development meets combustible vegetation. As reconstruction permits are slowly approved, there is a pressing need to adopt fire-resistant building materials and enforce stricter defensible space zones.

The road to recovery for Los Angeles is far from over. With over 10,000 homes destroyed and less than 7% of those properties resold or moving through the market, thousands of families remain in a state of transition. As insurers, developers, and city officials work to clear the backlog, the focus must remain on data-driven decisions that prioritize not just the speed of the rebuild, but the long-term safety of the community.

Going forward, the focus must shift toward proactive solutions and long-term resilience. The next chapter requires sustained collaboration between policymakers, insurers, residents, and builders to not only accelerate the recovery but also rethink how and where we build. Future prevention depends on adopting smarter land-use planning, investing in fire-resistant infrastructure, and reinforcing community-level preparedness. Without these forward-looking measures, the cycle of destruction and delay will continue. The lessons of the past year must now inform decisive actions to protect lives, homes, and landscapes from the next inevitable wildfire.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.