View original document

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

5/13/2020

Relief for Responsible Homeowners: Treasury Announces Requirements for the Making Home Affordable Program

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Press Center

Relief for Responsible Homeowners: Treasury Announces Requirements for the
Making Home Affordable Program
3/4/2009

2009-3-4-14-5-9-12322
On March 4th, The Obama Administration announced new U.S. Department of the Treasury guidelines to enable servicers to begin
modifications of eligible mortgages under the Administration's Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan – announced by President
Barack Obama just two weeks ago. The release of detailed requirements for the "Making Home Affordable ©" program facilitates
implementation of the critical provisions that will help bring relief to responsible homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments,
while preventing neighborhoods and communities from suffering the negative spillover effects of foreclosure such as lower housing prices,
increased crime and higher taxes.
Making Home Affordable will offer assistance to as many as 7 to 9 million homeowners, making their mortgages more affordable and
helping to prevent the destructive impact of foreclosures on families, communities and the national economy.
The Home Affordable Refinance program will be available to 4 to 5 million homeowners who have a solid payment history on an existing
mortgage owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Normally, these borrowers would be unable to refinance because their homes have lost
value, pushing their current loan-to-value ratios above 80%. Under the Home Affordable Refinance program, many of them will now be
eligible to refinance their loan to take advantage of today's lower mortgage rates or to refinance an adjustable-rate mortgage into a more
stable mortgage, such as a 30-year fixed rate loan.
GSE lenders and servicers already have much of the borrower's information on file, so documentation requirements are not likely to be
burdensome . In addition, in some cases an appraisal will not be necessary . This flexibility will make the refinance quicker and less costly
for both borrowers and lenders. The Home Affordable Refinance program ends in June 2010.
The Home Affordable Modification program will help up to 3 to 4 million at-risk homeowners avoid foreclosure by reducing monthly
mortgage payments. Working with the banking and credit union regulators, the FHA, the VA, the USDA and the Federal Housing Finance
Agency, the Treasury Department today announced program guidelines that are expected to become standard industry practice in
pursuing affordable and sustainable mortgage modifications. This program will work in tandem with an expanded and improved Hope for
Homeowners program.
With the information now available, servicers can begin immediately to modify eligible mortgages under the Modification program so that
at-riskborrowers can better afford their payments.
Read more at http://www.Financialstability.gov.
Summary of Guidelines
Modification Program Guidelines

https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/200934145912322.aspx

1/2

5/13/2020

Relief for Responsible Homeowners: Treasury Announces Requirements for the Making Home Affordable Program

https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/200934145912322.aspx

2/2