Allegheny County property owners facing foreclosure will have the chance to negotiate with lenders to keep their homes under a pilot program expected to start next week.

As part of the effort, homeowners will be able to get free help from a housing counselor in renegotiating mortgage terms, setting up payment plans to cover delinquencies, or making other arrangements based on a Dec. 19 order filed by former Common Pleas President Judge Joseph James.

Common Pleas Judge Michael E. McCarthy, who will supervise the residential mortgage foreclosure program, estimated that there are probably about 4,000 foreclosures pending in the county. He said he expects that to go up in coming years as adjustable rate mortgage and balloon payments become due.

The court order came to light yesterday in a news release distributed by ACORN -- the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- which has been working with homeowners struggling to keep up with their mortgages. The group said it welcomed the effort.

"It does put the borrower through a process to get them a fair and affordable agreement. Nothing has been done like this in the county before. It's so exciting what Judge James has done," said Maryellen Hayden, ACORN head organizer.

Mr. James could not be reached for comment yesterday. Kevin Evanto, a spokesman for County Executive Dan Onorato, said all details of the program have yet to be finalized, but he expected an announcement later this week.

The program is an outgrowth of a plan advanced by county Sheriff William P. Mullen in July in an effort to get help to besieged homeowners. Under that plan, those owners would have been able to meet with lawyers and lenders, with a hearing officer acting as a referee, to negotiate a reasonable mortgage rate.

Based on the Dec. 19 court order, the new plan, to take effect next Monday, will provide homeowners facing foreclosure with a hotline number to call to get in touch with a housing counselor.

The counselor will work with the owner to establish a course of action, which could include a payment plan, modified mortgage terms or a possible bankruptcy filing, as well as other options.

A court-supervised conference then will be scheduled with the lender to try to reach an agreement. The judge then will have final say over whether a foreclosure moves forward.

Judge McCarthy said the goal of the program is to try to get homeowners help before a sheriff's sale takes place, at which point there is little that can be done to save the home.

"This is just a way of at least trying to save people from doing nothing," he said. " I think there is a problem. A lot of people don't hire counsel and wait for something to happen. What happens is on Monday morning, you're summoned to a [sheriff's sale]."

Mr. McCarthy said he has no idea how many foreclosures can be prevented through the program. He stressed there will be instances where the court will be powerless to do anything.

"This is not a magic pill. [It's] looking through the problem for a solution," he said. "I don't see this as everybody gets saved. I just see this as a vehicle to focus in on the dockets and give someone at least a look at."

Although there are currently a number of programs available to help those facing foreclosure, Ms. Hayden said she expects the new program to help to foster cooperation between the homeowner and lender.

"We think this action by the judge and the sheriff will provide the lenders with an incentive to move the process along," she said.

She said a similar program in Philadelphia saved about 78 percent of the homes facing foreclosure. She also praised Mr. Mullen for keeping his promise to try to help after meeting with struggling homeowners at a community forum in July.