Safeguard Properties

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Alaska Severe Storm, Flooding, and Landslides

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 23, 2022

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Alaska to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by severe storms, flooding and landslides from September 15-20, 2022.  The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Bering Straight Regional Educational Attendance Area
  • Kashunamiut Regional Educational Attendance Area
  • Lower Kuskokwim Regional Educational Attendance Area
  • Lower Yukon Regional Educational Attendance Area

 

Alaska Severe Storms, Flooding, and Landslides (DR-4672-AK)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Alaska

 

Please note:  The areas declared are considered unorganized boroughs and do not have associated 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

Tropical Depression Nine Could Become Major Hurricane Threat for Florida

Posted on by Safeguard

Disaster Alert
September 23, 2022

Source:  The Weather Channel

***Please note, Topical Depression Nine has not been declared a FEMA disaster at this time.***

Tropical Depression Nine is tracking through the Caribbean Sea and may become a serious hurricane threat for the northwestern Caribbean and Southeast U.S. next week, including Florida.

W​e are still in the very early stage of tracking this latest system. There are aspects of the forecast in which we have more confidence, while others remain uncertain, which is typical for tropical forecasting this far out in time.

H​ere’s a look at everything we know right now.

L​atest Status

T​ropical Depression Nine is located in the central Caribbean Sea and is moving west-northwest.

I​t’s still battling wind shear, but finally became organized enough to be deemed a tropical depression on Friday morning.

Heavy rain is the main threat from this system right now in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao. Flash flooding and mudslides are possible in these areas.

Forecast Track, Intensity

T​he system is forecast to become a tropical storm later today or tonight.

I​t would be named either Hermine or Ian depending on if it or another system in the far eastern Atlantic becomes a tropical storm first.

T​his future tropical storm is forecast by the National Hurricane Center to become a hurricane in the northwest Caribbean by late this weekend or early next week. Rapid intensification is possible during that time, which means a wind speed increase of at least 35 mph in 24 hours or less.

It could then be located anywhere from the eastern Gulf of Mexico to near the Florida Peninsula as a major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger) by next Tuesday or Wednesday.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Puerto Rico Hurricane Fiona

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 21, 2022

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for areas of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to supplement territorial and local recovery efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Fiona on September 17, 2022 and continuing.  The following area has been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Adjuntas
  • Aguada
  • Aguadilla
  • Aguas Buenas
  • Aibonito
  • Anasco
  • Arecibo
  • Arroyo
  • Barceloneta
  • Barranquitas
  • Bayamon
  • Cabo Rojo
  • Caguas
  • Camuy
  • Canovanas
  • Carolina
  • Catano
  • Cayey
  • Ceiba
  • Ciales
  • Cidra
  • Coamo
  • Comerio
  • Corozal
  • Culebra
  • Dorado
  • Fajardo
  • Florida
  • Guanica
  • Guayama
  • Guayanilla
  • Guaynabo
  • Burabo
  • Hatillo
  • Hormigueros
  • Humacao
  • Isabela
  • Jayuya
  • Juana Diaz
  • Juncos
  • Larjas
  • Lares
  • Las Marias
  • Las Piedras
  • Loiza
  • Luquillo
  • Manati
  • Maricao
  • Maunabo
  • Mayaguez
  • Moca
  • Morovis
  • Naguabo
  • Naranjito
  • Orocovis
  • Patillas
  • Penuelas
  • Ponce
  • Quebradillas
  • Rincon
  • Rio Grande
  • Sabana Grande
  • Salinas
  • San German
  • San Juan
  • San Lorenzo
  • San Sebastian
  • Santa Isabel
  • Toa Alta
  • Toa Baja
  • Trujillo Alto
  • Utuado
  • Vega Alta
  • Vega Baja
  • Vieques
  • Villalba
  • Yabucoa
  • Yauco

Public Assistance:

  • Adjuntas
  • Aguada
  • Aguadilla
  • Aguas Buenas
  • Aibonito
  • Anasco
  • Arecibo
  • Arroyo
  • Barceloneta
  • Barranquitas
  • Bayamon
  • Cabo Rojo
  • Caguas
  • Camuy
  • Canovanas
  • Carolina
  • Catano
  • Cayey
  • Ceiba
  • Ciales
  • Cidra
  • Coamo
  • Comerio
  • Corozal
  • Culebra
  • Dorado
  • Fajardo
  • Florida
  • Guanica
  • Guayama
  • Guayanilla
  • Guaynabo
  • Burabo
  • Hatillo
  • Hormigueros
  • Humacao
  • Isabela
  • Jayuya
  • Juana Diaz
  • Juncos
  • Larjas
  • Lares
  • Las Marias
  • Las Piedras
  • Loiza
  • Luquillo
  • Manati
  • Maricao
  • Maunabo
  • Mayaguez
  • Moca
  • Morovis
  • Naguabo
  • Naranjito
  • Orocovis
  • Patillas
  • Penuelas
  • Ponce
  • Quebradillas
  • Rincon
  • Rio Grande
  • Sabana Grande
  • Salinas
  • San German
  • San Juan
  • San Lorenzo
  • San Sebastian
  • Santa Isabel
  • Toa Alta
  • Toa Baja
  • Trujillo Alto
  • Utuado
  • Vega Alta
  • Vega Baja
  • Vieques
  • Villalba
  • Yabucoa
  • Yauco

 

Puerto Rico Hurricane Fiona (DR-4671-PR)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Puerto Rico

Map of Affected Area

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 – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 20, 2022

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation to supplement tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by severe storms, tornados and flooding May 2-8, 2022.  The following area has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Creek (OTSA)

 

Muscogee (Creek) Nation Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding (DR-4670-OK)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Muscogee (Creek) Nation

List of Affected Zip Codes

Please note:  Only properties located in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are approved for assistance.  Properties located within zip code 74447 outside of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation are NOT approved.

 

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 Emergency Declaration – Puerto Rico Tropical Storm Fiona

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 17, 2022

FEMA has issued an Emergency Declaration for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to supplement local government response efforts to emergency conditions resulting from then Tropical Storm Fiona, now a Hurricane, September 17, 2022 and continuing.  The following area has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Adjuntas
  • Aguada
  • Aguadilla
  • Aguas Buenas
  • Aibonito
  • Anasco
  • Arecibo
  • Arroyo
  • Barceloneta
  • Barranquitas
  • Bayamon
  • Cabo Rojo
  • Caguas
  • Camuy
  • Canovanas
  • Carolina
  • Catano
  • Cayey
  • Ceiba
  • Ciales
  • Cidra
  • Coamo
  • Comerio
  • Corozal
  • Culebra
  • Dorado
  • Fajardo
  • Florida
  • Guanica
  • Guayama
  • Guayanilla
  • Guaynabo
  • Gurabo
  • Hatillo
  • Hormigueros
  • Humacao
  • Isabel
  • Jayuya
  • Juana Diaz
  • Juncos
  • Lajas
  • Lares
  • Las Marias
  • Las Peidras
  • Loiza
  • Luquillo
  • Manati
  • Maricao
  • Maunabo
  • Mayaguez
  • Moca
  • Morovis
  • Naguabo
  • Naranjito
  • Orocovis
  • Patillas
  • Penuelas
  • Ponce
  • Quebradillas
  • Rincon
  • Rio Grande
  • Sabana Grande
  • Salinas
  • San German
  • San Juan
  • San Lorenzo
  • San Sebastian
  • Santa Isabel
  • Toa Alta
  • Toa Baja
  • Trujillo Alta
  • Utuado
  • Vega Alta
  • Vega Baja
  • Viegues
  • Villalba
  • Yabucoa
  • Yauco

 

Puerto Rico Tropical Storm Fiona (EM-3583-PR)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Emergency Declaration for Puerto Rico

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

Puerto Rico Suffers Total Black Out as Hurricane Fiona Brings Threat of Flooding, Mudslides

Posted on by Safeguard

Disaster Alert
September 18, 2022

Source:  CNN

Power has gone out across all of the US territory of Puerto Rico on Sunday, according to PowerOutage.us, as Hurricane Fiona bears down on the islands, which are already grappling with the threat of flooding and mudslides stemming from the Category 1 storm.

“Puerto Rico is 100% without power due to a transmission grid failure from Hurricane Fiona,” the website said.

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi confirmed the outage in a tweet, noting the entire electric system was out of service and officials have activated the proper protocols to work to restore power.

The blackout – which followed hours of progressively worsening power outages – comes five years after Puerto Rico’s power grid was devastated by Hurricane Maria in September 2017, leaving many residents without electricity for months. But officials have stressed it won’t be like last time: Not long before the lights went out, Abner Gomez, head of public safety and crisis management at LUMA Energy, which operates Puerto Rico’s power grid, said utility authorities plan to repair and restore electricity with the help of local government agencies.

 

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

Additional Resources:

Zip Codes of Potentially Impacted Areas

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – American Samoa High Surf, High Winds, and Flooding

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 15, 2022

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the American Samoa territory to supplement territorial and local recovery efforts in areas affected by high surf, high winds, and flooding from July 12-15, 2022.  The following area has been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Statewide

 

American Samoa High Surf, High Winds, and Flooding (DR-4669-AS)

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for American Samoa

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

U.S. Mortgage Interest Rates Top 6% for the First Time Since 2008

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
September 14, 2022

Source: reuters.com

The average interest rate on the most popular U.S. home loan rose above 6% for the first time since 2008 and is now more than double the level it was one year ago, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) data showed on Wednesday.

Rising mortgage rates are increasingly weighing on the interest-rate sensitive housing sector as the Federal Reserve pushes on with aggressively lifting borrowing costs in order to tame high inflation. The central bank has raised its benchmark overnight lending rate by 225 basis points since March.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OCC Reports Improvement in Overall Mortgage Performance

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
September 15, 2022

Source: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reported that the performance of first-lien mortgages in the federal banking system improved during the second quarter of 2022.

The OCC Mortgage Metrics Report, Second Quarter 2022 showed that 97 percent of mortgages included in the report were current and performing at the end of the quarter, compared to 95 percent a year earlier.

The percentage of seriously delinquent mortgages – mortgages that are 60 or more days past due and all mortgages held by bankrupt borrowers whose payments are 30 or more days past due – was 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2022, compared to 1.8 percent in the prior quarter and 3.8 percent a year ago.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEMA Fire Management Assistance Declaration – Oregon Milo Mciver Fire

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
September 10, 2022

FEMA has issued a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the state of Oregon to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the Milo Mciver Fire on September 10, 2022 and continuing.  The following counties have been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Clackamas

 

Oregon Milo Mciver Fire (FM-5454-OR)

Zip Codes of Affected Areas

 

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

Cookies enable us to provide the best experience possible and help us understand how visitors use our website. By browsing our website, you agree to our use of cookies.

x

CEO

Alan Jaffa

Alan Jaffa is the Chief Executive Officer for Safeguard Properties, steering the company as the mortgage field services industry leader. He also serves on the board of advisors for SCG Partners, a middle-market private equity fund focused on diversifying and expanding Safeguard Properties’ business model into complimentary markets.

Alan joined Safeguard in 1995, learning the business from the ground up. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2002, and was named CEO in May 2010. His hands-on experience has given him unique insights as a leader to innovate, improve and strengthen Safeguard’s processes to assure that the company adheres to the highest standards of quality and customer service.

Under Alan’s leadership, Safeguard has grown significantly with strategies that have included new and expanded services, technology investments that deliver higher quality and greater efficiency to clients, and strategic acquisitions. He takes a team approach to process improvement, involving staff at all levels of the organization to address issues, brainstorm solutions, and identify new and better ways to serve clients.

In 2008, Alan was recognized by Crain’s Cleveland Business in its annual “40-Under-40” profile of young leaders. He also was named a NEO Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® Award finalist in 2013.

x

Esq., General Counsel and EVP

Linda Erkkila

Linda Erkkila is the General Counsel and Executive Vice President for Safeguard Properties, with oversight of legal, human resources, training, and compliance. Linda’s broad scope of oversight covers regulatory issues that impact Safeguard’s operations, risk mitigation, strategic planning, human resources and training initiatives, compliance, insurance, litigation and claims management, and counsel related to mergers, acquisition and joint ventures.

Linda assures that Safeguard’s strategic initiatives align with its resources, leverage opportunities across the company, and contemplate compliance mandates. She has practiced law for 25 years and her experience, both as outside and in-house counsel, covers a wide range of corporate matters, including regulatory disclosure, corporate governance compliance, risk assessment, compensation and benefits, litigation management, and mergers and acquisitions.

Linda earned her JD at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She holds a degree in economics from Miami University and an MBA. Linda was previously named as both a “Woman of Influence” by HousingWire and as a “Leading Lady” by MReport.

x

COO

Michael Greenbaum

Michael Greenbaum is the Chief Operating Officer of Safeguard Properties, where he has played a pivotal role since joining the company in July 2010. Initially brought on as Vice President of REO, Mike’s exceptional leadership and strategic vision quickly propelled him to Vice President of Operations in 2013, and ultimately to COO in 2015. Over his 14-year tenure at Safeguard, Mike has been instrumental in driving change and fostering innovation within the Property Preservation sector, consistently delivering excellence and becoming a trusted partner to clients and investors.

A distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Mike earned a degree in Quantitative Economics. Following his graduation, he served in the U.S. Army’s Ordnance Branch, where he specialized in supply chain management. Before his tenure at Safeguard, Mike honed his expertise by managing global supply chains for 13 years, leveraging his military and civilian experience to lead with precision and efficacy.

x

CFO

Joe Iafigliola

Joe Iafigliola is the Chief Financial Officer for Safeguard Properties. Joe is responsible for the Control, Quality Assurance, Business Development, Marketing, Accounting, and Information Security departments. At the core of his responsibilities is the drive to ensure that Safeguard’s focus remains rooted in Customer Service = Resolution. Through his executive leadership role, he actively supports SGPNOW.com, an on-demand service geared towards real estate and property management professionals as well as individual home owners in need of inspection and property preservation services. Joe is also an integral force behind Compliance Connections, a branch of Safeguard Properties that allows code enforcement professionals to report violations at properties that can then be addressed by the Safeguard vendor network. Compliance Connections also researches and shares vacant property ordinance information with Safeguard clients.

Joe has an MBA from The Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and holds a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University’s Honors Accounting program.

x

Business Development

Carrie Tackett

Business Development Safeguard Properties