The Homeownership Preservation Foundation, a foreclosure prevention nonprofit that operates a well known consumer hotline, said today that call volume at the organization’s HOPE hotline surged in the third quarter, reaching a record high of 60,000 calls. The number of calls doubles the call volume from the previous quarter and represents a more than ten-fold increase from the same quarter in 2006, the HPF said. “Troubled homeowners are more aware of our services because of the intense media coverage surrounding the foreclosure crisis,” says Colleen Hernandez, president and executive director of HPF. “It’s encouraging to know we’ve been able to reach out to so many homeowners. With more than a million Americans facing possible foreclosure, we are working hard to expand our counseling capacity and continue our commitment to preserving homeownership through our services.” The Foundation said that among the homeowners who called its 888-995-HOPE hotline, 24 percent were less than one month behind in mortgage payments, up from 21 percent during second quarter 2007. The highest percentage of calls — not surprisingly — originated from troubled borrowers in California. For more information, visit http://www.995hope.org.