Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) announced late last week the creation of a special fund that will use the state’s allocation of federal Hardest Hit Fund dollars to purchase distressed loans in the Chicago area and permanently modify them to affordable levels. The Mortgage Resolution Fund will extract $100 million of Illinois’ $445.7 million of HHF resources for the cause. The MRF will buy delinquent loans from lenders and capital markets trading desks at net present value, and each qualifying debt will be “brought into alignment with current values.” Chicago has suffered a ...