Thank you for visiting Open Arms 4 Brevard. We ask that you take a minute and sign our GUEST BOOK. Your feedback is very important to us.

Open Arms 4 Brevard is a non profit, 501(c)3 organization affiliated with the Seminary Covenant Community. Our volunteers are dedicated to offering support to the unemployed residents of Brevard County, Florida. We receive a variety of requests for assistance to include domestic violence, health, prescription, rent, utilities and foreclosure. We have addressed each need and provided the resources within our county that can further assist.

We also promote senior citizen health care, with the formation of free health fairs in the 55+ communities. With the help of organizations such as Health First, Senior Resource Alliance, CVS Pharmacy, Veterans Administration, The Florida Blood Bank and many others, we are able to provide our senior citizens with the help and resources that they need, to ensure that they are not doing without their medications and other necessities.

Our organization is based on caring. The volunteers are aware of and can feel the same financial pressures that most everyone across the country is experiencing. Most of the individuals that now find themselves out of work are not familiar with, nor have they ever had the need to turn to an outside source for help. Some are prideful or embarrassed by their current circumstances. We recognize the many emotions that these people are experiencing. With great heart and determination we are sincerely dedicated to letting the community know that we do care, there is no judgment and we are here to help.

Open Arms 4 Brevard appreciates the support of our sponsors; please take a moment to review their websites and offer your patronage to their establishments.  You will find a wealth of additional resources to include mortgage assistance. We are always happy to assist you via telephone, please do not hesitate to call.

Should you or your organization have food, clothing or medical equipment that you would like to donate, please contact us.

Open Arms News

Your Rights As A Tenant In Foreclosed Property:

Before May 20, 2009, most renters lost their leases upon foreclosure. The rule in most states was that if the mortgage was recorded before the lease was signed, a foreclosure wiped out the lease (this rule is known as "first in time, first in right"). Because most leases last no longer than a year, it was all too common for the mortgage to predate the lease and destroy it upon foreclosure.

These rules changed dramatically on May 20, 2009, when President Obama signed the "Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009." This legislation provided that leases would survive a foreclosure -- meaning the tenant could stay at least until the end of the lease, and that month-to-month tenants would be entitled to 90 days' notice before having to move out (this notice period is longer than any state's non-foreclosure notice period, a real boon to tenants).

An exception was carved out for the buyer who intends to live on the property -- this buyer may terminate a lease with 90 days' notice. Importantly, the law provides that any state legislation that is more generous to tenants will not be preempted by the federal law. These protections apply to Section 8 tenants, too. Importantly, tenants who live in cities with rent control "just cause" eviction protection are also protected from terminations at the hands of an acquiring bank or new owner. These tenants can rely on their ordinance's list of allowable, or "just causes," for termination. Because a change of ownership, without more, does not justify a termination, the fact that the change occurred through foreclosure will not justify a termination.