TICONDEROGA — Housing Assistance Program of Essex County (HAPEC) counseling services are being promoted by the town as part of a derelict and abandoned property project.

The state-funded effort will explore ways to address the town’s zombie property issue.

A new state law now requires mortgage companies to secure and maintain their properties which are abandoned and are in significant mortgage payment arrears.

The project will seek to determine the effectiveness of this legislation.

Two special services are available for free through the HAPEC.

The first is HAPEC Financial Coaching and Counseling services, a program that aims to help individuals and families take control of their finances.

Working with trained and certified counselors, this can include assessing a resident’s financial situation, developing individualized plans for meeting their financial goals, and managing their finances in order to repay debts and to establish or restore good credit.

The second type of HAPEC counseling services focuses on helping people who may be having trouble making their mortgage payments, who are falling behind on their property taxes, or who may be facing possible foreclosure on their property.

These default and foreclosure intervention counseling services are also provided by certified counselors. These counselors can help homeowners navigate the confusing and often frustrating process of working with their lenders, and to negotiate ways to resolve mortgage problems in order to avoid the loss of homes and property through foreclosure.

Residents interested in learning more about these services can contact HAPEC in Elizabethtown at 873-6888 or info@hapec.org. These counseling services are confidential and can be done at the HAPEC office in Elizabethtown or another agreed location.