As used in this section and sections 49-31l to 49-31o, inclusive, and section 49-31s:

(1) “Mortgagor” means: (A) The owner-occupant of one-to-four family residential real property located in this state, which is the primary residence of such owner-occupant, who is also the borrower under a mortgage encumbering such residential real property, or if not the borrower under such a mortgage, is a permitted successor-in-interest, except an heir or occupying nonowner of a property encumbered by a reverse annuity mortgage, or (B) a religious organization that is (i) the owner of real property located in this state, and (ii) the borrower under a mortgage encumbering such real property;

(2) “Residential real property” means a one-to-four family dwelling, occupied as a residence by a mortgagor;

(3) “Mortgagee” means the owner or servicer of the debt secured by a mortgage on residential real property or real property owned by a religious organization securing a loan made primarily for personal, family, religious or household purposes that is the subject of a foreclosure action;

(4) “Authority” means the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority created under section 8-244;

(5) “Mortgage assistance programs” means the mortgage assistance programs developed and implemented by the authority in accordance with sections 8-265cc to 8-265kk, inclusive, 8-265rr and 8-265ss;

(6) “Religious organization” means an organization that meets the religious purposes test of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;

(7) “Objectives of the mediation program” (A) means a determination as to whether or not the parties can reach an agreement that will (i) avoid foreclosure by means that may include consideration of any loss mitigation options available through the mortgagee, or (ii) expedite or facilitate the foreclosure in a manner acceptable to the parties, and (B) includes an expectation that all parties shall endeavor to reach such determination with reasonable speed and efficiency by participating in the mediation process in good faith, but without unreasonable and unnecessary delays;

(8) “Ability to mediate” means an exhibition on the part of the relevant person of a willingness, including a reasonable ability, to participate in the mediation process in a manner consistent with the objectives of the mediation program and in conformity with any obligations imposed in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (b) or (c), as applicable, of section 49-31n, including, but not limited to, a willingness and reasonable ability to respond to questions and specify or estimate when particular decisions will be made or particular information will be furnished and, with respect to the mortgagee, a reasonable familiarity with the loan file, any loss mitigation options that are available to the mortgagor and the material issues raised in prior mediation sessions. Reasonable familiarity with such material issues may be achieved by becoming reasonably familiar with the mediator reports submitted in accordance with subdivision (4) of subsections (b) and (c) of section 49-31n, to the extent such reports are available;

(9) “Permitted successor-in-interest” means a person who is a defendant in a foreclosure action with a return date on or after October 1, 2015, and either (A) the former spouse of a decedent-mortgagor, who acquired sole title to the residential real property by virtue of a transfer from the decedent-mortgagor's estate or by virtue of the death of the decedent-mortgagor where title was held as joint tenants or tenants in the entirety, or (B) the spouse or former spouse of a mortgagor or former mortgagor who (i) acquired title to the residential real property by virtue of a transfer from such mortgagor or former mortgagor where such transfer resulted from a court decree dissolving the marriage, a legal separation agreement or a property settlement agreement incidental to such a decree or separation agreement, and (ii) ensures that all necessary consents to the disclosure of nonpublic personal financial information have been provided to the mortgagee in accordance with subdivision (3) of subsection (c) of section 49-31l.

(P.A. 08-176, S. 15; P.A. 11-201, S. 1; P.A. 13-136, S. 1; P.A. 15-124, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 08-176 effective July 1, 2008; P.A. 11-201 redefined “mortgagor” in Subdiv. (1) and “mortgagee” in Subdiv. (3) and added Subdiv. (6) defining “religious organization”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-136 added reference to Sec. 49-31s, amended Subdiv. (1) to redefine “mortgagor” by adding exception re heir or occupying nonowner of property encumbered by a reverse annuity mortgage, amended Subdiv. (3) to redefine “mortgagee” by replacing provision re original lender or servicer under a mortgage with “owner or servicer of the debt secured by a mortgage”, added Subdiv. (7) defining “objectives of the mediation program” and added Subdiv. (8) defining “ability to mediate”, effective July 15, 2013; P.A. 15-124 amended Subdiv. (1) to redefine “mortgagor”, and added Subdiv. (9) defining “permitted successor-in-interest”, effective July 1, 2015.