WASHINGTON –JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), trying to show its gentle side to troubled homeowners, is offering them rare face-to-face counseling from trained advisers in 24 “homeownership” centers around the country.

The initiative is partly to counter the allegation that lenders give short shrift to such borrowers. At a recent congressional hearing, banks were criticized for funneling struggling homeowners to call centers, where service was poor and waits were long.

JPMorgan also hopes the strategy will help get around one of the biggest obstacles to loan modifications: distressed borrowers’ reluctance to contact their lender in the first place.

“It’s a visible and understandable sign to consumers that we want to talk to you about your mortgage if you are struggling,” Thomas Kelly, a JPMorgan spokesman, said.

JPMorgan is alone among major mortgage servicers to open such walk-in centers, though many have boosted staff to assist borrowers over the phone. Its 24 centers have been opened in areas hard-hit by the housing bust, including nine in California and five in Florida. Others are in the New York City area as well as Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

They are open to borrowers with loans serviced by Chase, Washington Mutual or EMC, a former Bear Stearns unit that was acquired by JPMorgan. The centers will stay open “as long as we need them”, Kelly said, guessing that would be at least a year.

While the banks are showing their “softer side” they also are ramping up foreclosures. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Wells Fargo & Co., Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac all say they have increased foreclosure activity in recent weeks. Those companies say they have lifted internal moratoriums which temporarily halted foreclosures.

The increase poses threat to home prices; delinquent borrowers face new scrutiny. Credit scores and all documentation will be checked and re-checked.

Some of the nation’s largest mortgage companies are stepping up foreclosures on delinquent homeowners. That will likely lead to more Americans losing their homes just as the Obama administration’s housing-rescue plan gets into gear.

Some mortgage companies had stopped foreclosing on borrowers as they waited for details of the Obama administration’s housing-rescue plan, announced in February, which provides incentives for mortgage companies and investors to provide mortgage loan modifications.