VOA标准英语2009年-Mediation Aims to Avoid More US Foreclosur

Foreclosures continue to rise in Florida and other U.S. states hit hard by the real estate crisis. Several Florida counties are trying to fight back against the problem by bringing banks and homeowners together to find a way to save troubled mortgages from foreclosure.
　
Foreclosure sign sits outside home for sale in Phoenix¹, Arizona (Feb 2009 file photo)

Real estate experts say now may be a great time to buy a home in south Florida, if only because so many cheap foreclosed homes are available.

The flood has created chaos² for local judges, who must rule on every foreclosure case. But another option is to avoid the courtroom and order both the bank and the home owner into a mediation³ room.

Rod Petrey, head of the Collins Center which organizes out-of-court mediation programs, says that option has been ignored in Florida until now.

"One thing we are missing is for the two parties to talk to each other," Petrey said. "When a lender calls a borrower, a lot of the language has been: 'Pay up, deadbeat.' Is that the best way to have a conversation with the borrower?"

Some borrowers also complain that banks or lending firms do not return their calls or that it is too hard to get in touch with the right person in charge of their mortgage.

Petrey says some of those communication problems can be avoided with court-ordered mediations, which the Collins Center is helping⁴ to organize in several areas. The non-profit group recently held a training session for about 200 trained mediators in the Miami area.

One of the trainees⁵, Joan Bickerstaff, said a mediation session may provide a number of alternatives not available in a foreclosure trial.

"The court system is overwhelmed and probably does not provide the best solution. The discretion⁶ that the court has in a foreclosure proceeding⁷ is fairly limited," she said.

Courts have no authority to order a bank to change the terms of a loan or compel a homeowner to continue making payments on a home. But at a mediation the two sides can agree to adjust the loan, reduce the monthly payments or decide to sell the house at a lower price and terminate the mortgage.

Experts say the process will not work for every homeowner in trouble, especially people who have lost their jobs or those who borrowed way too much in the first place.

Rod Petrey says the key to mediation is a credit counseling session, to determine what a home owner can afford.

"A lot of lenders say we have not seen information from that borrower in years, we do not even know if they have a job or not. Plus for the borrower, it really forces them to add up what they got and what they do not have," Petrey said.

The Collins Center has organized 15 mediations in Miami. Former judge Tom Bateman, who advises the center, says the sessions are confidential⁸, but the results have been encouraging.

"Nine had reached what we call a successful resolution, ... and they agreed to adjourn⁹ and continue negotiating after the mediation session," Bateman said.

Similar mediation programs have been operating for months in states like Ohio and New Jersey¹⁰, where they are credited with limiting new foreclosures.

But Miami realtor Enrique Lopez doubts whether it will work in Florida, where home prices have plunged¹¹ in the past two years. He says there is no incentive¹² for home owners to negotiate a deal to remain in a house worth far less than the mortgage on it a situation known as being "upside down".

"If you are an attorney or realtor, why would you advise your client to remain in a property that as an investment makes no sense to do any more? How many years before a property that is $50-60,000 upside down will recover its value?" Lopez asked.

Lopez says home owners may be better off accepting a foreclosure in that type of situation. He says many people can find a similar house for a lot less money, now that real estate prices have fallen so far.

 

1 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

2 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

3 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

6 discretion   

n.谨慎；随意处理

参考例句：

• You must show discretion in choosing your friend.你择友时必须慎重。
• Please use your best discretion to handle the matter.请慎重处理此事。

7 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

8 confidential   

adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的

参考例句：

• He refused to allow his secretary to handle confidential letters.他不让秘书处理机密文件。
• We have a confidential exchange of views.我们推心置腹地交换意见。

9 adjourn   

v.（使）休会，（使）休庭

参考例句：

• The motion to adjourn was carried.休会的提议通过了。
• I am afraid the court may not adjourn until three or even later.我担心法庭要到3点或更晚时才会休庭。

10 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

11 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

12 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。