Mortgages and deeds of trust: foreclosure.

(1) Existing law, until January 1, 2013, requires a mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent to contact the borrower prior to filing a notice of default to explore options for the borrower to avoid foreclosure, as specified. Existing law requires a notice of default to include a declaration stating that the trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent has contacted the borrower, or has tried with due diligence to contact the borrower, or that no contact was required for a specified reason. This bill would additionally require the borrower to be provided, if applicable, with a deadline for the borrower to submit an initial application for a loan modification. The bill would require the declaration to also state that the borrower was not a servicemember or dependent of a servicemember entitled to benefits under the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, that the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent has possession of the note and mortgage, or deed of trust, and other specified documents that evidence the right to foreclose, and has attached copies thereof to the declaration, as specified, or a separate declaration containing specified information, if the above described documents cannot be located. The bill would prescribe procedures and notices that must be sent by the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent if the notice of default was filed prior to January 1, 2013, and a notice of rescission was not subsequently recorded. The bill would prohibit recording a notice of default unless a specified written notice has been sent at least 14 days before a notice of default is recorded. The bill would prohibit a notice of default from being recorded while a loan modification application is pending, under specified conditions, and would establish additional procedures to be followed regarding the loan modification application before a notice of default could be recorded. (2) Existing law imposes various requirements that must be satisfied prior to exercising a power of sale under a mortgage or deed of trust, including, among other things, recording a notice of sale. This bill would impose additional requirements pertaining to applications for loan modifications that must be satisfied prior to recording a notice of sale in order to exercise a power of sale. The bill would require a written notice to the borrower after the postponement of a foreclosure sale in order to advise the borrower of any new sale date, time, and location when the new sale date is at least 10 calendar days after the date of postponement, as specified. The bill would establish procedures for a loan modification application process to be used after a notice of sale has been recorded. The bill would prohibit a notice of sale from being recorded under certain conditions, including, among others, if the borrower is in compliance with a loan modification plan, forbearance, or loan repayment plan, as specified, or if a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure has been approved, as specified. The bill would require mortgagees, trustees, beneficiaries, or authorized agents to track and record specified data pertaining to loan modification agreements. The bill would prohibit the collection of late fees while a loan modification or short sale is being considered, if certain criteria are met. (3) The bill would repeal duplicate provisions of law. (4) The bill would authorize a borrower to seek an injunction of a pending trustee's sale if a notice of sale has been recorded and the borrower reasonably believes that the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent failed to comply with specified requirements. The bill would authorize the greater of actual damages or $10,000 in statutory damages if there is a failure to comply with specified requirements by the mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent and the property is sold at a foreclosure sale. The bill would authorize the greater of treble damages or $50,000 in statutory damages if the failure to comply is found to be intentional or reckless or resulted from willful misconduct, as specified. (5) The bill would establish the Office of Homeowner Protection, that would have responsibility, among other things, for responding to inquiries and complaints from individuals regarding foreclosures and other procedures and requirements as described above, attempting to seek compliance by mortgagees, trustees, beneficiaries, or authorized agents regarding foreclosures and other procedures and requirements as described above, and maintaining an Internet Web site that is capable of receiving inquiries and complaints from individuals and that provides information to the public about publicly available resources intended to help individuals avoid foreclosure. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature that the office be funded by payments made available to the Attorney General via the Special Deposit Fund, created pursuant to specified federal settlement agreements.