FEMA Alert
March 5, 2025
FEMA has issued a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the state of Texas to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by the Duke Fire on March 5, 2025. The following counties have been approved for assistance:
Public Assistance:
Additional Resources
FEMA’s web site
FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process
Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts
VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters
FEMA Alert
March 4, 2025
FEMA has issued a Fire Management Assistance Declaration for the state of Texas to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in areas affected by the Welder Fire on March 4, 2025. The following counties have been approved for assistance:
Public Assistance:
Texas Welder Fire (FM-5552-TX)
Additional Resources
FEMA’s web site
FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process
Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts
VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters
Industry Update
February 25, 2025
Source: Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae announced its 2024 Servicer Total Achievement and Rewards™ (STAR™) Program results, recognizing 29 mortgage servicers for competency, capability, and overall performance. For more than a decade, Fannie Mae’s STAR Program has awarded high-performing mortgage servicers for their loan volume and portfolio composition, and for demonstrating leading practices to improve the housing industry.
“We’re proud of this year’s top-performing STAR Program servicers who are critical partners in our mission to provide stability to borrowers based on strong servicing standards,” said Cyndi Danko, Senior Vice President and Single-Family Chief Credit Officer, Fannie Mae. “Our servicers continue to show their commitment to operational excellence while reducing credit loss – a crucial component to the overall safety and soundness of Fannie Mae’s business and the residential mortgage market.”
Since 2011, Fannie Mae’s STAR Program has enabled broad and lasting improvements across the mortgage servicing industry by promoting servicing knowledge and excellence. The program has seen sustained servicer improvement in both metric performance and operational assessment results year over year.
For the 2024 program year, mortgage servicers were evaluated for STAR Performer recognition in three categories: General Servicing, Solution Delivery, and Timeline Management based on the results of the Servicer Capability Framework and STAR Performance Scorecard.
The 2024 STAR Program recipients are:
General Servicing:
Solution Delivery:
Timeline Management:
General Servicing and Solution Delivery:
General Servicing and Timeline Management:
General Servicing, Solution Delivery, and Timeline Management:
For full report, please click the source link above.
One Community Update
January 30, 2025
Source: www.constructforstl.org
The St. Louis County Council will soon consider whether to create a land bank in St. Louis County.
The idea, which appeared on the council agenda this week but has not yet been formally introduced, was sponsored by two council members who represent districts in north St. Louis County, Shalonda Webb and Council Chair Rita Heard Days.
They see the creation of a new land bank as a way to address the ongoing issue of derelict properties in St. Louis County, which members of the council have over the years attributed to absentee landlords who have neglected or abandoned their properties or are hiding behind LLCs that own the property, Days said. A land bank could take over ownership of derelict property, and if that happens, the new legislation would erase taxes, fines and fees that have accumulated on the sites. Although the land bank could acquire residential or commercial properties, the ultimate goal would be to get houses back into use as housing stock, Days said.
St. Louis County has lost population since the 2020 census, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. It’s also seen population growth of just 3.72% from 1970 to 2023.
“It’s a blight on the neighborhood when you have those types of houses,” Days said. “It’s just an insurmountable problem at this particular point, and we hope and think that land banking will address that situation.”
The initiative to create a land bank was made possible through state legislation signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson last year, House Bill 2062, which allows St. Louis County and cities across the state to start land banks as a way to address vacant properties. Land banks are intended to move “non-revenue-generating, non-tax-producing” properties back into private ownership or public use, according to the state statute that creates them, the Land Bank Act.
For full report, please click the source link above.
One Community Update
February 4, 2025
Source: www.wcax.com
Rundown and vacant properties could be on the path to new life.
The Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development has announced the results of a study that determines the feasibility of creating a Land Bank, which would be authorized to make vacant, abandoned, deteriorated and tax-delinquent properties useful again.
The latest housing needs assessment shows there are almost 11,000 vacant and abandoned homes across the state, making up 3% of the housing stock.
That assessment also determined that Vermont needs to add upward of 36,000 homes by 2029 to meet demand.
The study says Land Banks need a dedicated and sustainable funding source to be effective.
For full report, please click the source link above.
One Community Update
February 13, 2025
Source: www.11alive.com
JPMorganChase on Thursday announced it is making $3.75 million across five donations to support groups in Atlanta working on increasing housing supply and improving housing affordability.
The donations, the company’s Global Head of Corporate Responsibility Tim Berry said, will help “scale housing affordability programs and address the supply shortage.”
“Increasing affordable housing supply is crucial, especially in underserved communities where rising costs and low supply prevent many qualified buyers from entering the market,” Berry said. “Today’s commitment is part of our comprehensive effort to tackle this issue in Atlanta and promote economic growth. These grants will support innovative solutions, focusing on sustainable homeownership and community revitalization.”
Five different groups will receive contributions: the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership ($2 million), Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta ($1.03 million), Westside Future Fund ($500,000), National Community Stabilization Trust ($140,000) and Local Initiatives Support Corporation ($75,000).
The largest of those contributions, to the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership, will support a “first-of-its-kind first-look program to acquire investor-owned properties and convert them into affordable housing opportunities.” The other $1 million+ contribution, to the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, will help a program that “aims to build the capacity of underserved developers through innovative capital solutions and support legacy residents’ ability to access wealth through homeownership.”
JPMorganChase says it previously made a $2.5 million contribution to the Atlanta Neighborhood Development Partnership (ANDP) that helped 640 families and made 371 single-families available for affordable homeownership.
“Through previous support from JPMorganChase, we were able to grow our model and develop hundreds of affordable homes to generate critical wealth for Atlanta families.” John O’Callaghan, ANDP President and CEO, said in a statement. “Further, we were able to facilitate more than $5 million in down payment assistance to low-to-moderate income homebuyers. Together with JPMorganChase, the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, the Westside Future Fund, and LISC Atlanta, we will continue to make a significant impact in our great city. We look forward to continuing our partnership and revitalizing underserved neighborhoods in Atlanta, together.”
In an email, the company pointed to an example of a Union City home that was acquired by ANDP from an institutional investor and then renovated and sold to a veteran first-time homebuyer for $260,000. JPMorganChase says it is supporting work in Atlanta, Union City, south DeKalb County, south Fulton County and more.
For full report, please click the source link above.
One Community Update
February 27, 2025
Source: www.wgil.com
The City of Monmouth is exploring a land bank partnership to a support single-family housing development.
The investment would be with the Prairie Hills Land Bank Authority, a newly forming nonprofit organization focused on returning vacant properties to productive use. If approved, Monmouth would contribute 10-12 vacant lots to the land bank, with the goal of developing new single-family homes.
The Prairie Hills Land Bank is expected to launch in Spring 2025, with Monmouth potentially becoming an early partner in the effort.
“This is an exciting opportunity to transform vacant lots into new homes for families in Monmouth which can help to address our housing shortage,” said Mayor Rod Davies. “However, we are still in the early stages, and City Council approval will be required before moving forward.”
The lots were acquired by the city following the demolition of blighted properties, made possible through the Illinois Strong Communities Program. The Strong Communities Program (SCP), created through the Rebuild Illinois capital plan and administered by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), provides grant funding to help local governments address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated properties through acquisition, maintenance, rehabilitation, and demolition.
The funding Monmouth received allowed for the removal of unsafe structures, ensuring that these properties can now be redeveloped into quality housing opportunities.
What is the Prairie Hills Land Bank?
Prairie Hills is leading the effort to form a regional land bank serving west-central Illinois. Land banks are specialized organizations that help communities address vacant, abandoned, and tax-delinquent properties. They work by holding and managing properties until they can be sold or developed in a way that benefits the community.
If Monmouth moves forward with this investment, the land bank would help manage these properties while working with developers to construct new homes. The City Council will need to approve this investment in the coming weeks before any final decision is made.
Monmouth city officials say the project encourages new home construction, helping meet local housing needs. They add that it would eliminates vacant and underutilized lots, improving neighborhood appearance and safety; increase property values and tax revenue by returning land to productive use; streamline redevelopment efforts, making it easier for homebuilders to invest in Monmouth.
For full report, please click the source link above.
FEMA Alert
February 26, 2025
***LAST UPDATE: 4/2/25***
FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of West Virginia to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning February 15, 2025 and continuing. The following counties have been approved for assistance:
Individual Assistance:
Public Assistance:
West Virginia Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4861-WV)
President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for West Virginia
Additional Resources
FEMA’s web site
FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process
Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts
VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters
FEMA Alert
February 24, 2025
***LAST UPDATED: 4/14/25***
FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Kentucky to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from February 14 – March 7, 2025. The following counties have been approved for assistance:
Individual Assistance:
Public Assistance:
Kentucky Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4860-KY)
President Donald J. Trump Approves Major Disaster Declaration for Kentucky
Additional Resources
FEMA’s web site
FEMA’s Disaster Declaration Process
Safeguard Properties Industry Alerts
VA’s Policy Regarding Natural Disasters
Industry Update
February 20, 2025
Source: ATTOM
ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its first-quarter 2025 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.4 million (1,372,396) residential properties in the United States are vacant. That figure represents 1.3 percent, or one in 76 homes, across the nation – the same as in the fourth quarter of last year and up slightly from a year ago.
The report analyzes publicly recorded real estate data collected by ATTOM — including foreclosure status, equity and owner-occupancy status — matched against monthly updated vacancy data. (See full methodology below).
The report also reveals that 212,268 residential properties in the U.S. are in the process of foreclosure in the first quarter of this year, down 1.5 percent from the fourth quarter of last year and down 12.6 percent from the first quarter of 2024. Foreclosure activity has decreased for five consecutive quarters following a surge in cases that occurred after the nationwide moratorium on lenders pursuing delinquent homeowners—implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic—was lifted in mid-2021.
Among those pre-foreclosure properties, 7,094 sit vacant as zombie foreclosures (pre-foreclosure properties abandoned by owners) in the first quarter of 2025. That figure is virtually the same as in the last quarter, but down 3.3 percent from a year ago.
The first-quarter data represents another measure in a long-term pattern of zombie properties representing just a miniscule portion of the nation’s total housing stock. Currently, only one in every 14,668 homes across the U.S. has been vacated due to foreclosure, an improvement from one in 14,591 in late 2024 and one in 13,905 during the first quarter of last year. This ratio remains well below the recent peak of one in 11,412 recorded in late 2023, representing one of the lowest levels in the past five years.
Those numbers mean that most neighborhoods around the U.S. are totally or almost completely free of zombie foreclosures that can attract vandals and spread blight. The scenario stands out yet again as one of many enduring effects of a housing market boom around the nation now in its 14th year.
You’d have to take a very long walk through most U.S. communities to come across even one zombie foreclosure—and even then, you might not find any,” said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM. “This marks a significant turnaround from the period following the Great Recession in the late 2000s, when a collapsing housing market and abandoned properties posed serious risks to many neighborhoods. The latest figures highlight one of the many benefits of the nation’s prolonged housing market boom for both homeowners and renters alike.”
He added that “we have every reason to believe this will continue into the foreseeable future, given high levels of equity flowing from rising home prices and historically low supplies of homes for sale that make the few abandoned properties out there more likely to be snapped up by buyers.”
Zombie foreclosures either down or up by small amounts around U.S.
A total of 7,094 residential properties facing possible foreclosure have been vacated by their owners nationwide in the first quarter of 2025, down 0.2 percent from 7,109 in the fourth quarter of 2024 and down 3.3 percent from 7,338 in the first quarter of 2024. The number of zombie properties has gone down or remained the same quarterly in 22 states, usually decreasing by less than 25. The number has increased in 28 states, again by small amounts.
The biggest percent decreases from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025 in states that had at least 50 zombie homes a year ago are in Maryland (zombie properties down 38 percent, from 104 to 65), Georgia (down 35 percent, from 81 to 53), California (down 30 percent, from 310 to 217), New Jersey (down 23 percent, from 260 to 199) and Ohio (down 16 percent, from 597 to 503).
The largest annual increases among states that had at least 50 zombie foreclosures in the first quarter of 2025 have come in Missouri (zombie properties up 85 percent, from 27 to 50), Michigan (up 51 percent, from 55 to 83), South Carolina (up 31 percent, from 74 to 97), Indiana (up 28 percent, from 215 to 276) and Kansas (up 26 percent, from 69 to 87).
Overall vacancy rates shift by tiny amounts
The vacancy rate for all residential properties in the U.S. has remained virtually the same for 12 quarters in a row, hovering around 1.3 percent. The latest figure of 1.32 percent (one in 76 properties) is almost the same as the 1.31 percent level in fourth quarter of 2024 and up slightly from 1.26 percent in the first quarter of last year.
States with the highest vacancy rates for all residential properties are Oklahoma (2.41 percent during the first quarter of this year), Kansas (2.34 percent), Missouri (2.18 percent), Alabama (2.16 percent) and West Virginia (2.09 percent).
Those with the lowest overall vacancy rates are New Hampshire (0.34 percent), Vermont (0.41 percent), New Jersey (0.49 percent), Idaho (0.52 percent) and Connecticut (0.56 percent).
For full report, please click the source link above.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Business Development
Carrie Tackett
Business Development Safeguard Properties
