The Allegheny County program to help homeowners avoid foreclosure will take effect on Monday, county officials announced this morning.

The program will enable homeowners to get free help from a housing counselor in renegotiating mortgage terms, setting up payment plans to cover delinquencies, or making other arrangements.

It was established by a Dec. 19 order by former Common Pleas President Judge Joseph James.

Starting Monday, homeowners whose properties are about to be foreclosed by lenders will receive a bright pink notice along with the initial foreclosure notice.

The card will have a toll-free number that homeowners can call to enroll in the program, which will give them a court-ordered 90-day window to negotiate with the lender to try to save the property from foreclosure.