Phila. postpones sales of owner-occupied homes

Philadelphia homeowners facing mortgage-foreclosure sales have gotten another reprieve from Common Pleas Court.

Sheriff's sales of owner-occupied houses scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed until Sept. 9 to give the court more time to implement a pilot program designed to give lenders and borrowers time to work out a plan to bring the delinquent mortgage up to date. If the lender proves the property is unoccupied or is a commercial property, the sale may proceed.

Sales scheduled July 1 were were postponed to Oct. 7. Common Pleas Court President Judge C. Darnell Jones II had previously postponed sales scheduled for April and May until July 1. Those homeowners have the opportunity to attend a "conciliation conference" with their lenders, but they must call 215-334-4663 to schedule a meeting with a housing counselor.

- Harold Brubaker