Apr. 20--The HOPE NOW Alliance, a private consortium of mortgage companies and nonprofit counselors whose mission is to prevent foreclosures, will host a free two-day workshop for homeowners at the Miami Beach Convention Center Wednesday and Thursday.

More than 20 mortgage companies and loan servicers will have representatives at the event that runs both days from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. They will work one-on-one with borrowers at risk of foreclosure to keep them in their homes through loan modifications or other means.

As many as 6,000 South Florida homeowners are expected to attend the workshop, which is being co-sponsored by NeighborWorks America, a HUD-certified nonprofit.

Lenders and servicers said they had helped 134,000 borrowers nationally in February through loan modifications, according to HOPE NOW. About 110,000 were assisted through repayment plans that help borrowers catch up on delinquent payments but do not involve restructuring the loans through interest-rate reductions or loan-term extensions.

The Alliance said February's numbers do not reflect new efforts by lenders to restructure loans under the Obama administration's Making Home Affordable plan announced in February. That plan, which consists of both a loan modification and refinance program, is expected to help 9 million homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Homeowners who go to the workshops this week should bring documentation of their income, expenses, debts, and mortgage to be fully prepared to sit down with their servicer.

For more information, call the HOPE NOW hot line at 888-995-HOPE or visit www.hopenow.com.

Here's a list of services and lenders participating: American Home Mortgage, Aurora Loan Services, Bank of America, Carrington, Chase, Citi, Countrywide, EMC Mortgage, GMAC/Homecomings, Home Loan Services/First Franklin, HSBC, IndyMac Bank, Litton, National City, Ocwen, Saxon, Select Portfolio, Suntrust Mortgage, Taylor, Bean & Whitaker, Wachovia, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo, Wilshire.

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