Connecticut's Foreclosure Mediation Program lets eligible owner-occupants meet with a court mediator and their lender to discuss options like a repayment plan, modification, or an exit such as a short sale. It's free to request, but you must file an Appearance and a Mediation Certificate within 15 days of your case's return date.
If you've been served with a foreclosure summons in Connecticut, the paperwork likely included a notice about court-run mediation. This page walks through what the program is, who can use it, the deadlines involved, and what actually happens at a session — so you can decide, calmly, whether to request it.
The program was created by the legislature in 2008 (Public Act 08-176) and is codified in Connecticut General Statutes §§ 49-31k through 49-31v. It's run by the Connecticut Judicial Branch, not by a private company. A Judicial Branch employee serves as a neutral mediator and meets with the homeowner and a representative of the lender or servicer to see whether they can reach a voluntary agreement about the mortgage. The mediator does not decide the case or take sides.
The program — now officially named the Ezequiel Santiago Foreclosure Mediation Program — currently applies to eligible foreclosure cases with a return date through June 30, 2029, after an extension passed by the legislature in 2021.
According to the Judicial Branch, mediation is available if:
You are the owner-occupant of a 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-family residential property in Connecticut, and that property is your primary residence;
You are the borrower on the mortgage being foreclosed, or a spouse/former spouse who qualifies as a "permitted successor-in-interest"; or
The property is owned by a religious organization that is itself the borrower.
There is no application fee to request mediation. If you're unsure whether your situation qualifies, a review of how foreclosure works in Connecticut can help you see where mediation fits into the overall court timeline, and a Connecticut attorney or HUD-approved housing counselor can confirm your eligibility.
To ask for mediation, you must file two forms with the court:
Appearance (JD-CL-12)
Foreclosure Mediation Certificate (JD-CV-108)
Both must be filed no later than 15 days from the return date listed on the summons you were served. You'll typically receive these forms along with the foreclosure complaint. A copy also has to go to the attorney for the lender or servicer.
| Step | What happens |
|---|
| Served with summons | Includes notice of mediation program and blank forms |
| Within 15 days of return date | File Appearance (JD-CL-12) + Mediation Certificate (JD-CV-108) |
| If eligible | Court schedules first mediation session; participation becomes mandatory for the lender |
| Mediation period | Ends at the earlier of 7 months from the return date or 3 sessions, unless a judge extends it |
If you miss the 15-day window, you may still be able to get into the program by filing a Motion for Permission to Request Mediation Later (JD-CV-96), explaining the reason for the delay, but approval isn't automatic. For a broader sense of what's happening in the weeks right after you're served, see Behind on your mortgage: the first 90 days.
Sessions are held at the courthouse and are confidential. According to the Judicial Branch's own homeowner materials, mediation can cover:
Ways to keep the home — reinstatement, a repayment plan, or a loan modification; and
"Graceful exits" from the home — a sale, short sale, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, or an agreed-upon law day or sale date.
Bringing organized financial documents (income, expenses, bank statements, any hardship letter) generally helps the conversation move forward, though a housing counselor or attorney is better positioned than a real estate agent to advise on exactly what to prepare for your situation.
No — and the Judicial Branch is direct about this in its own homeowner FAQs: participation in mediation does not guarantee you'll keep your house. Mediation slows the case down while you and the lender explore options, and certain litigation activity is put on hold during the mediation period, but the case resumes afterward if no agreement is reached. You still need to respond to the complaint, and you could still end up with a judgment and law day or sale date down the line.
What if you want to sell instead of staying in the home?
Mediation isn't only about keeping the property — selling, including a short sale or deed-in-lieu, is one of the outcomes the mediator can help you discuss with the lender. If you're weighing a sale against other paths, selling during foreclosure explains how a sale can interact with an open court case. Selling isn't the right move for everyone, and a mediator, attorney, or housing counselor can help you think through the full picture before you decide anything.
You don't have to go into mediation alone, and you shouldn't have to pay for help to prepare. CHFA/HUD-approved housing counselors offer free assistance to Connecticut homeowners, including help organizing financial documents and understanding mediation. You can reach a counselor through HUD's counseling line at 1-800-569-4287 or the Connecticut Department of Banking's Mortgage and Foreclosure Hotline at 1-877-472-8313. See state and federal help for struggling homeowners for more on these programs, and if anyone asks you to pay upfront for mediation assistance, read foreclosure rescue scams to avoid first.
How RYZE Realty Group can help
Peter Nowak and RYZE Realty Group don't negotiate with lenders, represent homeowners in mediation, or promise any outcome — that work belongs to attorneys and HUD-approved counselors. What RYZE offers is a free, no-obligation "should you sell?" review: a straightforward look at your home's value and your equity, so that if selling does come up as an option during mediation, you already have clear numbers in hand.