HB 6544 Summary

• Establishes the "Homeowner Education Fund Act" to provide foreclosure and forfeiture counseling for Michigan homeowners facing mortgage or land contract loss.

• Imposes a $4.00 fee on all recorded instruments collected by county registers of deeds, with fees deposited into county homeowner education funds within 15 days; registers of deeds may retain up to 1.5% of fees for administrative costs.

• Exempts from the fee instruments filed by state/federal agencies, employment security liens, uniform commercial code filings, and foreclosures by governmental units for unpaid property taxes.

• Requires county boards of commissioners to distribute fund money to HUD-approved or Michigan State Housing Development Authority-approved housing counseling agencies that serve county residents and counsel homeowners facing foreclosure or land contract forfeiture.

• Counties may spend up to 1.5% of deposited fees on administrative expenses, with the act automatically repealing 10 years after enactment.