Freddie Mac recently announced that HomeSteps, the Freddie Mac REO sales division, will team up with St. Joseph Homeownership on August 8 to hold its second annual American Heroes Housing Fair and Open House in Jacksonville, Fla. Freddie Mac is one of the nation's largest sources of affordable mortgage funds for America's borrowers.

The American Heroes Housing Fair and Open House is free and open to active and retired service members, educators, firefighters, police, first responders, city service workers and their families. The Fair and Open House will provide attendees with free homeownership counseling, information on down payment and renovation resources and afternoon house tours of HomeSteps listings available for immediate sale.

The American Heroes Housing Fair and Open House will be held on August 8, 2015 between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm at the Firefighters Hall, 618 Stockton Street, Jacksonville, Fla. 32204.

"The American Heroes Housing Fair and Open House is about helping the men and women we depend on to become successful homeowners in our communities,” says Danny Gardner, vice president, single family affordable lending and access to credit, Freddie Mac. “We are proud to work with St. Joseph Homeownership to bring this exciting event to Jacksonville to help make homeownership possible for more families."

Tours of available HomeSteps properties during the event will be held from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm. HomeSteps® is the Freddie Mac sales unit responsible for marketing and selling Freddie Mac real estate owned (REO) homes to homeowners and investors.

"St. Joseph Homeownership is excited to host this event where our American heroes who do so much for us, can be specifically catered to, to fulfill their dream of homeownership,” says LaTasha Green-Cobb, executive director, St. Joseph Homeownership. “I am elated that individuals can be transformed to homeowners on the spot."

St. Joseph will provide American Heroes Housing Fair attendees with borrower counseling and education on CreditSmart®, the financial literacy program developed by Freddie Mac to help more families become successful homeowners.

A Drill Team competition featuring local high school drill teams will be held during the American Heroes Housing Fair.

For more information, visit www.freddiemac.com.