The Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF), which administers the Homeowner’s HOPE Hotline (1-888-995-HOPE) to provide free, financial education and confidential foreclosure prevention counseling, has named Bruce Gottschall to its board of directors.

Gottschall is one of the original founders of Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago, where he was executive director from 1975 until 2009. Under his leadership, NHS of Chicago partnered with the city to establish the Home Ownership Preservation Initiative (HOPI), which worked to prevent foreclosures.

“Bruce Gotschall has been working as a tireless advocate on homeownership education and sustainability issues throughout his career,” said Colleen Hernandez, CEO of HPF. “His years of dedication and experience working to strengthen neighborhoods through sustainable homeownership will bring an insightful grass roots perspective to the HPF board.”

After his retirement in 2009, Gottschall continued his involvement in community development as a board volunteer in NHS of America and National People’s Action and as chairman of the board of the Chicago Community Land Trust.

“HPF is an important institution in the process of sustaining homeownership in difficult times,” said Gottschall. “Going forward, it will continue to play an important role in both sustaining and creating homeownership. It is my hope that I can help bring insight and experience to helping create a collaborative role in the system of homeownership, particularly for low-to-moderate income people and in neighborhoods of need.”

Gottschall received a B.A. in sociology and economics from Dartmouth College and a master’s in social service administration from the University of Chicago.