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Legal Aid receives Bank of America settlement funds

Source: American Samoa Legal Aid media release

The American Samoa Legal Aid Executive Director Fainu’ulelei L.P.F.  Ala’ilima-Utu has announced that ASLA recently received $426,296 from a Bank of America settlement for distribution involving U.S states and territories. 

The BOA settlement funds are to be used for foreclosure prevention legal assistance and community redevelopment legal assistance.

The ASLA Board of Directors approved that “foreclosure prevention legal assistance” is “legal assistance to someone whose home is in the foreclosure process or whose home is at risk of foreclosure”.  

The ASLA Board also determined that “community redevelopment assistance” is  “legal assistance and community education to eligible individuals and groups with a focus on improving the economic conditions, housing, safety, family stability, education opportunities, and health care of individuals, families and the community.”  

ASLA is sponsoring a free legal workshop on “Home Foreclosure Defense” at the ASLA Office at Pago Pago on Thursday 9/15/16 at 3pm to 4pm. The free legal workshop is open to the public especially those whose homes are at risk of foreclosure or who are seriously delinquent with payments on their home mortgage loans. 

Fainu’ulelei is grateful to the Monitor of the Bank of America settlement for including American Samoa in the BOA settlement distribution this year.

He also acknowledges the support of the ASLA Board of Directors, the Legal Services Corporation, the American Bar Association, the Attorney General, the present and immediate past Bar President and Treasurer, and especially the American Samoa Bar Association whose financial support for ASLA qualified ASLA for such funding and through which the BOA settlement funds for the benefit of ASLA were disbursed.   

Fainu’ulelei said, “The BOA settlement funds is a blessing from God and ASLA is always thankful to various individual and groups, both in NGOs and government, who share a common goal of seeking justice for all and providing access to justice for low income folks.”