Safeguard Properties

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Georgia Severe Weather

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 16, 2023

***UPDATED 2/13/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Georgia to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts in areas affected by severe weather on January 12, 2023.  The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Butts
  • Henry
  • Jasper
  • Meriwether
  • Newton
  • Pike
  • Spalding
  • Troup

Public Assistance:

  • Butts
  • Crisp
  • Henry
  • Jasper
  • Meriwether
  • Newton
  • Spalding
  • Troup

 

Georgia Severe Weather (DR-4685-GA)

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

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 – Alabama Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 15, 2023

***UPDATED 2/3/23***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Alabama to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts in areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes on January 12, 2023.  The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Autauga
  • Coosa
  • Dallas
  • Elmore
  • Greene
  • Hale
  • Mobile
  • Morgan
  • Sumter
  • Tallapoosa

Public Assistance:

  • Autauga
  • Barbour
  • Chambers
  • Conecuh
  • Coosa
  • Dallas
  • Elmore
  • Greene
  • Hale
  • Sumter
  • Tallapoosa

 

Alabama Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, and Tornadoes (DR-4684-AL)

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

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 – California Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 14, 2023

***UPDATED 3/1/2023***

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of California to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts in areas affected by severe winter storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides beginning December 27, 2022 and continuing.  The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Individual Assistance:

  • Alameda
  • Amador
  • Calaveras
  • Contra Costa
  • Mendocino
  • Merced
  • Monterey
  • Sacramento
  • San Joaquin
  • San Luis Obispo
  • San Mateo
  • Santa Barbara
  • Santa Cruz
  • Ventura

Public Assistance:

  • Alameda
  • Alpine
  • Amador
  • Butte
  • Calaveras
  • Colusa
  • Contra Costa
  • Del Norte
  • El Dorado
  • Fresno
  • Glenn
  • Humboldt
  • Inyo
  • Los Angeles
  • Madera
  • Marin
  • Mendocino
  • Merced
  • Monterey
  • Napa
  • Nevada
  • Placer
  • Sacramento
  • San Benito
  • San Diego
  • San Francisco
  • San Joaquin
  • San Luis Obispo
  • San Mateo
  • Santa Barbara
  • Santa Clara
  • Santa Cruz
  • Siskiyou
  • Solano
  • Sonoma
  • Stanislaus
  • Sutter
  • Tehama
  • Trinity
  • Tulare
  • Tuolumne
  • Ventura
  • Yolo

 

California Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides and Mudslides (DR-4683-CA)

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

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

Black Knight Announces the Developer Portal, a Comprehensive Catalog of APIs to Enhance Integration and Efficiency for Clients

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 12, 2023

Source:  www.prnewswire.com

Black Knight, Inc. announced the launch of its new Developer Portal – a one-stop storefront where clients, third-party providers and their developers will have access to the company’s catalog of application program interfaces (APIs) across the mortgage life cycle. APIs expose business functionality and client data that are neatly packaged into reusable services that follow industry standard protocols and conventions to allow ease of integration. Clients can use Black Knight’s APIs to rapidly embed additional functionality within their applications, which can help drive intuitive and frictionless experiences in their user journeys.

As an extension of Black Knight’s commitment to delivering new innovations and seamless connections to the market, the Developer Portal provides a central repository of documentation detailing the application connections Black Knight offers. This catalog of APIs includes web APIs, web services, webhooks and other integration tools. The Developer Portal also contains a self-service interface where clients can search for and browse API specifications, product overviews, implementation documentation, user guides and more.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Foreclosure Activity Doubles Annually but Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 12, 2023

Source:  ATTOM

ATTOM, a leading curator of real estate data nationwide for land and property data, released its Year-End 2022 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, which shows foreclosure filings— default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 324,237 U.S. properties in 2022, up 115 percent from 2021 but down 34 percent from 2019, before the pandemic shook up the market. Foreclosure filings in 2022 were also down 89 percent from a peak of nearly 2.9 million in 2010.

Those 324,237 properties with foreclosure filings in 2022 represented 0.23 percent of all U.S. housing units, up slightly from 0.11 percent in 2021, but down from 0.36 percent in 2019 and down from a peak of 2.23 percent in 2010.

“Eighteen months after the end of the government’s foreclosure moratorium, and with less than five percent of the 8.4 million borrowers who entered the CARES Act forbearance program remaining, foreclosure activity remains significantly lower than it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rick Sharga, executive vice president of market intelligence at ATTOM. “It seems clear that government and mortgage industry efforts during the pandemic, coupled with a strong economy, have helped prevent millions of unnecessary foreclosures.”

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEMA Major Disaster Declaration – Washington Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

Posted on by Safeguard

FEMA Alert
January 12, 2023

FEMA has issued a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of Washington to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts in areas affected by a severe winter storm, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides from November 3-8, 2022.  The following areas have been approved for assistance:

Public Assistance:

  • Clallam
  • Island
  • Jefferson
  • Lewis
  • Okanogan
  • Skagit
  • Skamania
  • Snohomish
  • Wahkiakum

 

Washington Severe Winter Storm, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4682-WA)

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

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

Washington to Begin Enforcing Blight-Related Ordinances

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 4, 2023

Source:  observer-reporter.com

Three ordinances designed to combat blight in the city of Washington can begin to be enforced Friday.

Council voted to approve the ordinances at a special meeting Dec. 27, and Mayor Scott Putnam explained that they can start to be enforced seven days after approval.

One of the ordinances amends current regulations of abandoned properties and establishes an abandoned residential/commercial property regulation program.

Under the new regulation, owners of such properties must have an inspection of the property. If it is found to be vacant and/or abandoned, the property must be registered within 90 days of the city’s Department of Code Enforcement.

All maintenance and security requirements must be upheld and monthly inspections are necessary to make sure those requirements are being met. Violations can result in a fine of $500.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Land Bank in Works for County

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 4, 2023

Source:  www.columbusmessanger.com

Local government leaders have started the process of creating a land bank. The first organizational meeting likely will take place later this month.

A land bank, known formally as a land reutilization corporation, is a public authority or non-profit organization that acquires unproductive properties for the purpose of returning them to productive use in the community. Their parameters are outlined in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC).

“Our goal is to take properties that are not contributing to the local tax base and local community–properties the private market doesn’t seem to want at this time–then make them attractive for new investment,” said David Kell, Madison County’s director of economic development and planning.

Land banks can acquire land through tax foreclosures, municipal government transfers, auctions, donations, or open-market purchases. The Madison County land bank likely will focus on acquiring land through foreclosures, Kell said, with some land donations, as well.

“We don’t want to disrupt the private market,” Kell said. “If an individual or company wants to buy a property through the normal processes, that’s what we encourage. This is more for donated property or property that doesn’t sell at auction.”

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kankakee Land Bank Looks to Acquire 1st Property

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
January 3, 2023

Source:  www.daily-journal.com

A development tool could begin moving tax delinquent and abandoned properties back into productive use in Kankakee County.

The program is the Kankakee County Land Bank Authority that was created in March of 2021 through an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Kankakee and Kankakee County. It’s relatively new in Illinois, though other states like Ohio have used it for years.

The city’s Economic and Community Development Agency Executive Director Barbi Brewer-Watson is the secretary of the Kankakee County Land Bank. The Land Bank board, Brewer-Watson said, is in the midst of trying to acquire its first property now.

Ultimately, she said, as many as 100 properties could be eligible to be acquired by the Land Bank in Kankakee County.

Other Illinois communities, like Rockford and Cook County, have active land banks, but not every area has one.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 New Cassel Zombie Homes to be Given New Life Thanks to State Grant

Posted on by Safeguard

Industry Update
December 29, 2022

Source:  patch.com

The Town of North Hempstead has received more than $1 million in state grants to help turn abandoned houses into homes for first-time home buyers in New Cassel.

The town got $1.265 million from the state’s Restore New York Communities Initiative, which will help rebuild three abandoned homes in New Cassel as part of the New Cassel Workforce Housing Phase III Development.

“I am so proud that the town was one of the select communities across New York State to be awarded funds through the Restore NY Communities Grant,” Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said. “Once completed, these brand-new homes will improve the community, help stimulate the economy and aid in revitalizing New Cassel.”

The grant will help fill budget gaps created by demolition expenses, increased material and labor costs, and supply chain shortages. The three properties selected were identified as zombie homes by the town’s Zombie Home task force. These properties have been vacant for many years.

For full report, please click the source link above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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