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<chapter num="02" heading="Housing Counseling Certification for Prefile Mediation" title_num="05" subtitle_num="19">
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" heading="Definitions.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Terms Defined.</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>“Department” means the Department of Housing and Community Development, a principal department of the State.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>“Housing counseling services” means assistance provided to mortgagors or grantors by nonprofit and governmental entities that are identified on a list maintained by the Department of Housing and Community Development under COMAR 05.19.01.05.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>“Prefile mediation” means foreclosure mediation that occurs in accordance with Real Property Article, §7-105.1(d), Annotated Code of Maryland, before the date on which the order to docket or complaint to foreclose is filed.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" heading="Purpose.">
    <text>The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe the timing and form of certification of a mortgagor or grantor’s participation in housing counseling services as a precondition to prefile mediation in accordance with Real Property Article, §7-105.1(d), Annotated Code of Maryland .</text>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" heading="Providing Information on Housing Counseling Services.">
    <text>The Department shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>Maintain information on housing counseling programs and services provided by nonprofit and government organizations certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that are available to residents of the State; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Provide the information on housing counseling services and a sample of the form under Regulation .04 of this chapter to the general public at:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>The Department’s website address, http://www.mdhousing.org/Website/Housing/Default.aspx;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Department of Housing and Community Development, 100 Community Place Crownsville, Maryland 20736; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(3)">
        <text>The Maryland Department of Labor’s website address, http://www.dllr.state.md.us/finance/.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" heading="Timing and Certification of Housing Counseling Services.">
    <paragraph num="A.">
      <text>A mortgagor or grantor that has elected to participate in prefile mediation offered by a secured party must:</text>
      <paragraph num="(1)">
        <text>Regardless if they have previously completed housing counseling services, either:</text>
        <paragraph num="(a)">
          <text>Obtain housing counseling services after their election to be participate in prefile mediation; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(b)">
          <text>Be receiving housing counseling services at the time of their election to participate in prefile mediation; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(2)">
        <text>Complete the housing counseling services prior to the prefile mediation.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="B.">
      <text>Upon completion of housing counseling services, the entity that provided the services shall provide the mortgagor or grantor with a certificate of housing counseling services in substantially the following form:</text>
    </paragraph>
  </regulation>
  <annotations>
    <annotation type="Authority">Real Property Article, §7-105.1(d)(4)(ii), Annotated Code of Maryland</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Effective date:</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" subtype="Administrative History">Regulations .01—.04 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2012 (39:21 Md. R. 1375); emergency status extended to September 30, 2013 (40:9 Md. R. 788); adopted permanently effective August 5, 2013 (40:15 Md. R. 1228)</annotation>
  </annotations>
</chapter>