Citizens concerned about foreclosure can get information and one-on-one counseling on April 20 at the third Foreclosure Prevention Open House sponsored by Arapahoe County and the nonprofit Brothers Redevelopment.

The free event is part of an ongoing effort to help county residents keep their homes, according to County Commissioner Jim Dyer.

“Arapahoe County is committed to providing information and guidance to help struggling homeowners avert a foreclosure,” he said. “We have partnered with Brothers Redevelopment to provide foreclosure prevention services to residents for the past four years, with positive outcomes for 80 percent of families who sought help.”

The open house will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway, which is near the Englewood light rail station.

Counselors will provide guidance and discuss options available to help people keep their homes. Attendees can continue working with a counselor after the open house at no cost.

On-going clients must be residents of Arapahoe County, excluding Aurora, which has its own foreclosure-prevention program. There will be no formal presentation at the open house.

Arapahoe County’s foreclosures have increased 246 percent in recent years, from about 1,500 filings in 2003 to more than 6,000 last year. There was one foreclosure per 77 occupied homes in the county in 2009, according to the Colorado Division of Housing.

Arapahoe County has allocated $45,000 in Community Development Block Grants since 2007 to help Brothers Redevelopment provide foreclosure prevention and reverse-mortgage counseling.

Brothers Redevelopment provides a variety of housing-related services. The organization also manages the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline at 1-877-601-4673 and coloradoforeclosurehotline.org.

For more information, call Shannon Peer at 303-685-4204.