Hometown Lenders, Inc. - Order to Cease and Desist

November 27, 2023

In re: HOMETOWN LENDERS, INC.
350 The Bridge Street
Suites 116, 200, and 202
Huntsville, Alabama 35806,
Respondent

Docket No. 2023-003

Pursuant to 9-A M.R.S. § 6-108(1), the Superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection ("the Superintendent") hereby Orders that Respondent Hometown Lenders, Inc. ("Respondent") and its officers, directors, trustees, agents, and affiliates immediately cease and desist from:

  1. Engaging in or transacting the business of a supervised lender in the State of Maine;
  2. Seeking, pursuing, or obtaining the business of a supervised lender in the State of Maine; or
  3. Attempting, directly or through others, to induce Maine residents to purchase products or services provided by Respondent.

BASIS FOR THE ORDER

  1. Respondent is an Alabama corporation founded in 2000 for the purpose of originating mortgage loans and providing other lending-related services. The Alabama State Banking Department, Bureau of Loans, granted Respondent Consumer Credit License No. MC-20906.
  2. In November 2019, Maine's Secretary of State authorized Respondent to do business in Maine, Charter No. 20200365 F.
  3. On January 31, 2020, the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection ("the Bureau") first licensed Respondent as a supervised lender, License No. NLC1921572.*
  4. The Bureau is responsible for enforcing provisions of the Maine Consumer Credit Code, Title 9-A M.R.S., whose underlying purposes include the protection of borrowers against unfair practices by suppliers of consumer credit. 9-A M.R.S. § 1-102(2)(0). Toward that end and pursuant to 9-A M.R.S. § 2-302(2), the Bureau is dedicated to restricting licensure of mortgage loan originators to financially responsible businesses operated fairly and honestly.
  5. On November 15, 2023, the Alabama State Banking Department, Bureau of Loans, revoked Respondent's Consumer Credit License for multiple reasons, including failure to forward money received from borrowers to government insurance agencies. Final Order, State of Alabama, State Banking Department v. Hometown Lenders, Inc., Case No. MC-2923-003, a copy of which is Exhibit A hereto.
  6. Alabama officials have found the Alabama business address which Respondent provided for Bureau licensure abandoned. Upon information and belief, Respondent has no permanent place of business in Maine.
  7. In the opinion of the Superintendent, immediate cessation of Respondent's business activities in Maine is necessary to protect the public interest.

APPELLATE RIGHTS

This Order to Cease and Desist is appealable pursuant to 9-A M.R.S. § 6-108(1), 5 M.R.S. §§ 11001 - 11008, and M.R. Civ. P. 80C. Respondent may initiate an appeal by filing a petition in Maine Superior Court within 30 days of receiving this Order; any aggrieved non-party whose interests are directly and substantially affected by this Order may file a petition within 40 days of the entry of this Order. There is no automatic stay pending appeal.

By ORDER effective immediately and entered at Augusta, Maine on November 27, 2023.

/s/Linda J. Conti
LINDA J. CONTI
Superintendent
Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection
35 State house Station
Augusta, Maine 04333

Certificate of Service

The undersigned certifies under penalty of law that on the date given I served the foregoing ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST on Respondent Hometown Lenders, Inc. by depositing that ORDER in the U.S. mail with postage prepaid and addressed to Respondent's registered agent for service of process:

Incorp Services, Inc.
100 Second Avenue
Augusta, Maine 04330.

Additionally, I served a copy of the foregoing ORDER TO CEASE AND DESIST on Respondent via its last known email address, jwilson@htlenders.com, at [time] 11:32am on November 27, 2023.

Signed November 27, 2023 at Augusta, Maine.

[signature] Tammie Breton
[name]
[title]

*A supervised lender is a person licensed to make or take assignments of or to service supervised loans. 9-A M.R.S. § 1-301(39). "Supervised loan" means a consumer loan, including a loan made pursuant to open end credit, in which the rate of finance charge, calculated according to the actuarial method, exceeds 12.25% per year, or which is secured by an interest in real estate. 9-A M.R.S. § 1-301(40).

Attachments

2023-003: Hometown Lenders, Inc. Order to Cease and Desist (PDF)

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