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Safeguard Properties Launches Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

On April 9, Safeguard Properties announced the launch of its new Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center, designed to keep industry professionals current on laws that expedite the foreclosure process for vacant and abandoned properties.

Safeguard Properties Launches Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center
Interactive tool consolidates fast-track legislation and helps industry stay current

Cleveland, April 9, 2015 —As the concept of fast-track legislation for vacant and abandoned properties gains momentum, Safeguard Properties has launched its Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center. The center consolidates various legislation in an easy to navigate, interactive map tool providing industry professionals with a resource to stay abreast of the latest fast-track legislation, along with links to applicable media coverage.

Safeguard Founder and Chairman Robert Klein has long been a leading proponent of the concept of fast-tracking vacant and abandoned properties, bringing the topic to the forefront by fostering meaningful industry dialogue. The Safeguard Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center is another tool to further assist servicers and communities in finding a solution to the vacant and abandoned property issue.

“For 25 years Safeguard has been a leading community advocate within the housing industry. Reducing the foreclosure timeframe for strictly abandoned and vacant properties returns the property to productive use quicker, which benefits neighborhoods and the community as a whole. By making state-by-state fast-track legislative information universally accessible, new doors will open to create even more solution-driven conversations,” said Michael Halpern, Safeguard director of community initiatives, whose department spearheaded the Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center.

The interactive map features states that have enacted, are contemplating enacting, or have expired/inactive fast-track legislation for vacant and abandoned properties. Information includes a link to the final bill’s text, legislation history, and links to any media coverage of the legislation (if applicable).

An important component to fast-tracking vacant and abandoned properties is the ability to determine if a property is a candidate for the expedited process. To help with this determination, the center also highlights definitions of “vacancy” or “abandoned” within each piece of legislation.

“We felt it was important for Safeguard to take the lead and invest the time and resources in researching and consolidating fast-track legislation so that it can be easily shared. Lawmakers and business leaders are searching for ways to rebuild communities and our hope is that this tool will be a useful resource to help stabilize at-risk neighborhoods and stem blight,” said Safeguard CEO Alan Jaffa.

Please click here to access the Fast-Track Legislation Resource Center.

Please click the following links for additional media coverage:

HousingWire (4/14/15)
DS News (4/21/15)
MortgageOrb (4/17/15)

About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the mortgage field services industry leader, preserving vacant and foreclosed properties across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Safeguard provides the highest quality service to our clients by leveraging innovative technologies and proactively developing industry best practices and quality control procedures. Consistent with Safeguard’s values and mission, we are an active supporter of hundreds of charitable efforts across the country. Annually, Safeguard gives back to communities in partnership with our employees, vendors and clients. We also are dedicated to working with community leaders and officials to eliminate blight and stabilize neighborhoods. Safeguard is dedicated to preserving today and protecting tomorrow. Website: www.safeguardproperties.com.

Michael Greenbaum Promoted to Chief Operating Officer

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties announced the promotion of Michael Greenbaum to Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Cleveland, April 20, 2015 – Safeguard Properties, the largest mortgage field services company in the U.S., is pleased to announce a key executive appointment in the promotion of Michael Greenbaum to Chief Operating Officer (COO). Greenbaum, who had previously served as Vice President of Operations, joined Safeguard in 2010.

As COO, Greenbaum will continue to support Safeguard’s clients and oversee the company’s extensive vendor network. In addition, he will maintain responsibility for operational excellence, driving Safeguard’s internal operations processes and procedures to further increase efficiency, effectiveness and compliance.

“Mike has a proven track record of excellence, partnership and collaboration at Safeguard. He is a valued partner to our clients and has been instrumental in identifying new and innovative operational opportunities and executing on our corporate strategic vision. We are fortunate to have someone like Mike and I have full confidence in his ability to continue to be a key contributor to the future growth of Safeguard,” said Alan Jaffa, Safeguard CEO.

Before joining Safeguard, Greenbaum held senior management and executive positions with Erico, Accel, Inc., McMaster-Carr and served in the U.S. Army, Ordinance Branch, specializing in supply chain management. He is a distinguished graduate of West Point (U.S. Military Academy) where he majored in quantitative economics.

HousingWire and MortgageOrb share in this news.

About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the mortgage field services industry leader, preserving vacant and foreclosed properties across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Safeguard provides the highest quality service to our clients by leveraging innovative technologies and proactively developing industry best practices and quality control procedures. Consistent with Safeguard’s values and mission, we are an active supporter of hundreds of charitable efforts across the country. Annually, Safeguard gives back to communities in partnership with our employees, vendors and clients. We also are dedicated to working with community leaders and officials to eliminate blight and stabilize neighborhoods. Safeguard is dedicated to preserving today and protecting tomorrow. Learn more at www.safeguardproperties.com.

Safeguard Properties Recognized on HousingWire List of 100 Most Innovative Housing Industry Tech Providers

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties Named to 2015 HW TECH100™ List

Company’s MapAlert® solution provides the ability to monitor, manage and protect housing portfolios through visual mapping and analytics

Cleveland, March 11, 2015 — Safeguard Properties, the largest field services company in the U.S., is pleased to announce that it has been named to the 2015 HW TECH100™ list of the 100 most innovative technology providers in the housing industry.

The award, in its second year, received more than 250 entries, with only 40 new companies making the list. This was Safeguard’s first year entering the competition.

“Big data analytics is a natural fit for the mortgage servicing industry. Our clients’ portfolios of residential properties are located in virtually every community in the U.S. It is our mission to provide preservation services and innovative technologies that proactively protect those communities. MapAlert® continues Safeguard’s tradition of investing in technologies that help solve the industry’s most challenging problems,” said George Mehok, Safeguard Chief Information Officer.

MapAlert is a software-as-a-service geographical information system (GIS) designed specifically for residential mortgage companies and real estate asset managers. MapAlert provides the ability to monitor, manage and protect their investments through visual mapping and analytics. In addition, MapAlert’s cloud framework can handle millions of properties and hundreds of analytical variables allowing clients to customize their filters and reports to be as general or as specific as they choose.

“Presenting complex data visually using GIS technology helps our clients’ to make quicker and more effective decisions at the regional, local or community-block level. By geo- locating millions of properties, and overlaying real-time weather data from the most trusted sources, our clients can immediately assess the impact to their portfolio,” said Amitha Rao, Safeguard AVP of Data Analytics and Client Systems.

Traditionally, it has been very challenging for mortgage servicers to identify properties affected by weather or other types of events that can potentially damage properties. It could take days, weeks or months depending on the scale of the disaster. With MapAlert, the impact of a severe weather event can be assessed within minutes allowing for preservation activities to be dispatched with greater precision.

“This year we were struck by the level of innovation we saw, with 40 new additions to the HW TECH100. That speaks to how much change is taking place in the mortgage industry overall right now; we’re seeing a lot of market disruption, and technology providers are clearly taking advantage of the opportunity that creates,” said Jacob Gaffney, HousingWire Executive Editor.

For more information on MapAlert visit Safeguard’s website.

Please click here to view the full 2015 HW TECH100™ list online.

About Safeguard Properties: Safeguard Properties is the mortgage field services industry leader, preserving vacant and foreclosed properties across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Guam. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Safeguard provides the highest quality service to our clients by leveraging innovative technologies and proactively developing industry best practices and quality control procedures. Consistent with Safeguard’s values and mission, we are an active supporter of hundreds of charitable efforts across the country. Annually, Safeguard gives back to communities in partnership with our employees, vendors and clients. We also are dedicated to working with community leaders and officials to eliminate blight and stabilize neighborhoods. Safeguard is dedicated to preserving today and protecting tomorrow. Learn more at www.safeguardproperties.com.

About Safeguard Technologies: Safeguard Technologies provides specialized IT services with a focus on field services solutions such as property management, inspections, workforce scheduling, data analytics and workflow routing. Our integrated software platform provides clients with end-to-end automated mobile field data allowing them to turn this data into actionable results, lower their operating costs and ensure regulatory compliance. As an independent technology company of Safeguard Properties, we’ve leveraged our 25 years of experience building field services technologies for the mortgage banking industry to deliver a proven product for companies managing remote assts. At Safeguard Technologies, Information = Results™. www.safeguardtec.com

About HousingWire: HousingWire is the nation’s most influential industry news source covering the U.S. housing economy, spanning residential mortgage lending, servicing, investments and real estate operations. Winner of numerous awards, including a 2012 Eddie Award for national editorial excellence in the B2B Banking/Business/Finance category, HousingWire has been recognized for excellence in journalism by the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the American Society of Business Press Editors, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, and Trade Association Business Publications International. Learn more at http://www.housingwire.com.

About the HW TECH100™: The HW TECH100™ highlights the housing economy’s 100 most innovative technology companies, along six unique dimensions of innovation. The annual awards program is the only program of its kind to include technology serving both the U.S. residential real estate and U.S. residential mortgage industries.

Safeguard Properties Recognized as One of the Fastest Growing Large Companies in Northeast Ohio

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

Weatherhead 100 Recognizes Safeguard Properties As One of the Fastest Growing Large Companies in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, December 05, 2014 — Safeguard Properties was recognized as one of the fastest growing large companies in Northeast Ohio at the annual Weatherhead 100 awards ceremony Dec. 4, 2014. Safeguard was honored in the Centurion category (link: http://weatherhead.case.edu/weatherhead100/centurion2014), which includes companies with annual net sales in excess of $100 million.

“We are honored to be recognized once again for this prestigious award. Our continued growth would not be possible without our strong client partnerships, and the commitment to quality and customer service from our employees and vendors in the field,” said Alan Jaffa, Safeguard’s CEO. “I am proud to share this honor with our clients, vendors and the nearly 1,000 residents we employ in Northeast Ohio.”

The annual Weatherhead 100, presented by the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, recognizes the 100 fastest growing companies in Northeast Ohio.

This is the 18th year in which Safeguard has been recognized as a Weatherhead 100 company. Qualifying companies must demonstrate consistent growth over the past five years. The objective ranking is performed by the Weatherhead School of Management.

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About Safeguard
Safeguard Properties is the largest mortgage field services company in the U.S. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and based in Valley View, Ohio, the company inspects and maintains defaulted and foreclosed properties for mortgage servicers, lenders, and other financial institutions. Safeguard employs approximately 1,700 people, in addition to a network of thousands of contractors nationally.
Website: www.safeguardproperties.com.

Safeguard Properties Receives Medical Mutual Pillar Award

Posted on September 13, 2018October 29, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties Receives Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service
Safeguard’s Cares Committee gives employees the opportunity to give back

CLEVELAND, December 03, 2014 — Safeguard Properties is pleased to announce that the company has been named a 2014 Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service recipient. Presenting Safeguard with the award was American Cancer Society Senior Director Community Engagement Sarah Wells.

The award honors organizations and individuals committed to making a difference in the northeast Ohio community. Its purpose is to encourage a charitable environment, recognize creative efforts that make a difference and demonstrate the ties between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.

Safeguard’s employees have always been active participants in the communities where the company has offices. As the company grew to 1,700 employees and expanded outside of Northeast Ohio, the Safeguard Cares Committee was formed in 2011 to help centralize and coordinate the company’s fundraising efforts. The Cares Committee is made up of 30 employee volunteers from Safeguard’s five office locations in Ohio, Texas and Kentucky. Each location’s committee members are responsible for picking a charity and then planning and promoting the fundraising effort.

“I am proud of the gracious and giving nature of Safeguard’s employees. It is wonderful to see everyone come together to support so many deserving organizations. I think it is very important for companies to offer their employees the opportunity, during work hours, to support the causes that are near and dear to their hearts. At Safeguard, we consider it part of the employee’s work day and encourage our staff to get involved,” said Alan Jaffa, CEO of Safeguard Properties.

One of the highlights of 2014 included a unique twist on the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life where Safeguard, a 12-year participant, held its own, first-ever in Northeast Ohio, on-site corporate Relay For Life at each of its three Ohio locations. The event took place during the workday with more than 455 employees participating. More than $22,600 was raised, which included a matching gift from Safeguard and Safeguard’s Founder and Chairman Robert Klein.

Since its launch in 2011, the Safeguard Cares Committee has helped raise money, secure donated goods, services and volunteer hours for more than 20 organizations, including the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity and Friendship Circle. Safeguard was honored at a ceremony held at LaCentre in Westlake, Ohio on December 2.

Safeguard Properties Announces Two IT Management Appointments

Posted on September 13, 2018October 29, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties announced the following promotions within its IT management team:

Amitha Rao, promoted to assistant vice president for client systems and data analytics. Rao leads data architecture and governance for all systems, with the goal of creating a consistent and reliable information management platform. She works closely with the service lines to define key performance indicators and deploy dashboards to help Safeguard identify opportunities for continuous improvement; in addition to working with clients to provide information that helps meet their business objectives. Rao has been with Safeguard since 2002 and has been instrumental in designing and managing the company’s enterprise data warehouse system, consistently exceeding the expectations of clients and internal users. Under Rao’s direction, Safeguard broke new ground by applying geospatial technologies to analyze the spatial footprint of the mortgage industry and develop effective solutions to critical problems. Prior to joining Safeguard, Rao worked as a principal consultant in Boston for various clients in the research and development, bioinformatics and life sciences industries. As a bioinformatics consultant, she is proud to have worked on various proteomics and genomics projects including the Human Genome Project. Rao holds a master’s degree in physics and statistics.

Rick Moran, promoted to assistant vice president of application architecture. Moran is responsible for evolving the Safeguard IT systems. He leads the design of Safeguard’s enterprise application architecture. This includes Safeguard’s real-time integration with other systems, vendors and clients; the future upgrade roadmap for systems; and standards designed to meet availability, security, performance and goals. Moran has been with Safeguard since 2011. During that time, Moran has led the system upgrades necessary to support Safeguard’s growth. In addition, his team has designed and implemented several innovative systems. Prior to joining Safeguard Properties, Moran was director of enterprise architecture at Revol Wireless, a privately held CDMA Wireless provider in Ohio and Indiana, and operated his own consulting firm providing services to the manufacturing, telecommunications, and energy sectors.

DS News and HousingWire share this news.

Safeguard Executives to Speak at the 2014 Five Star Conference

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties CEO Alan Jaffa, and Vice President of Operations Mike Greenbaum, will be featured panelists at the upcoming 2014 Five Star Conference in Dallas, Texas, on September 14-16, 2014.

Alan Jaffa will participate in a panel discussion titled Property Preservation in the New Regulatory Environment, Monday, September 15 at 1 p.m., as part of the Property Management Lab.

Panel description: It goes without saying that property preservation is a vital cog in the mortgage servicing process and in stabilizing America’s neighborhoods. But as regulatory mandates impact the servicing industry, professionals within the property preservation field are subject to new rules, regulations, and responsibilities. How will this affect business, both in the short and long terms? Experts in field servicing will explore critical matters including vendor management, useful technology, and remaining compliant.

Mike Greenbaum will participate in a panel discussion titled The Cost and Consequences of Compliance, Monday, September 15 at 1 p.m., as part of the Compliance Lab.

Panel description: The onset of new regulations has forced many companies across mortgage servicing to change processes, adopt and invest in new technology, enlist third-party assistance, and even recruit and retrain staff, all of which increase the cost of servicing. Discover productive and effective developments to implement, third parties who are offering valuable services, and how consumers will share and experience the burden of expense.

Safeguard is this year’s Hosting Sponsor of the Five Star Conference, which takes place at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. Safeguard will be at booth #201 throughout the entire conference.

To view the full conference schedule, click here.

About Safeguard Properties
Safeguard Properties is the largest mortgage field services company in the U.S. Founded in 1990 by Robert Klein and based in Valley View, Ohio, the company inspects and maintains defaulted and foreclosed properties for the mortgage service industry. Safeguard employs approximately 1,700 people, in addition to a network of thousands of contractors nationally. Website: www.safeguardproperties.com.

Safeguard Properties Raises $23,400 for Relay For Life

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

Safeguard Properties Raises $23,400 for Relay For Life
Month-long fundraisers help company surpass last year’s total

On Friday, June 20, Safeguard Properties held its own, first-ever, on-site corporate Relay For Life at each of its three Ohio locations. More than 455 employees participated and raised more than $4,500 for cancer research. Once again, Safeguard and Robert Klein will be providing a match to increase the impact of Safeguard’s efforts.

This is in addition to the monies raised throughout the month of June as the company geared up for the Relay by holding special dress down days and a Safeguard Fairy Princess Contest, as well as the money raised through the company’s participation in the Aurora Relay for Life on June 6. In total, Safeguard will be donating $23,440 to the American Cancer Society.

Safeguard would like to thank AVI Foodsystems, for donating a portion of the event cookout proceeds, and Safeguard Massage for donating 100% of their massage proceeds for that day to the Relay.

Safeguard Employees Take Part in Slavic Village Recovery Community Volunteer Day

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

On Friday, May 9, 2014, Safeguard Properties’ employees joined employees from Forest City, Secure View and RIK Enterprises LLC to volunteer for the Slavic Village Recovery Community Volunteer Day. Close to 60 enthusiastic volunteers joined together to remove trash, trim lawns, plant trees and construct fencing around the perimeter of the new green areas. What is now wildflowers, trees and grass, was once eight residential lots. The houses, at the intersection of East 59th and Huss Avenue, long left behind when the housing market crashed, were razed.

Although a cooling steady rain began to fall by afternoon, volunteers kept at it and were able to finish a majority of the tasks at hand.
The first of its kind, the Slavic Village Recovery initiative is a strategic partnership between Forest City Enterprises, RIK Enterprises, Slavic Village Development, and Cleveland Neighborhood Progress. By collaborating in such a way, the Slavic Village Recovery Project aims to steady market volatility, stabilize the larger community and match home-buyers with a renovated home at a good price.

Check out the Slavic Village Community Day video and pictures of the day.

Safeguard Responds to NFHA Complaint

Posted on September 13, 2018October 4, 2018 by Safeguard

On April 8, 2014, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) conducted an online news conference to announce an amendment to a complaint they filed with HUD nearly a year ago accusing Safeguard Properties of providing higher levels of preservation services in predominately white neighborhoods than properties in largely African American and Latino neighborhoods. Safeguard is issuing the following statement in response:

Safeguard is disappointed that NFHA has taken this opportunity to conduct a press conference discussing this complaint. Since the complaint was originally filed, we have worked with HUD through the administrative process and have complied with information requests. We have asked NFHA for details on the actual properties they base their complaints on; and they have not cooperated with us. Safeguard has and will continue to cooperate with HUD’s investigation of this matter.

Safeguard performs services following Industry Standards set forth by Investors and our clients pursuant to service agreements. The standards pursuant to which Safeguard performs services do not vary based on the makeup of a particular community.

Safeguard neither condones nor tolerates acts of racism or business practices that would unfairly target or neglect certain neighborhoods based on location and demographics. We are outraged by the allegations made by the NFHA and we intend to dispute the claims and prove the accusations to be untrue.

We take complaints of this nature very seriously. Safeguard has a proven record of working with our clients, communities, and civic leaders throughout the country to combat blight brought on by the housing crisis. We have senior members of our leadership team that sit on the boards of community outreach groups; we host national conventions with the primary purpose of collecting and reinforcing the behavior and guidelines that preempt neighborhood deterioration; and we participate in industry and investor feedback panels where the focus is to build best practices to protect and preserve the houses that make up these communities.

NFHA plays a key role in this country in ensuring Fair Housing Laws are enforced. However, we are of the opinion that their claims in this circumstance are unfounded and we fully expect that HUD will find no basis for these claims once their investigation is concluded.