The Making Home Affordable (MHA) Program, which was launched in 2009
to assist millions of distressed homeowners facing foreclosure, is set to
expire on December 31, 2016. Under this program, homeowners with non-GSE mortgages
(i.e. mortgages not owned or guaranteed by FannieMae or Freddie Mac) may apply and be reviewed for refinancing,
loan modifications, short sales, deeds-in-lieu, and unemployment assistance
with their lenders in accordance with stringent guidelines set forth in the Making Home Affordable Handbook. Many homeowners who were approved for loan modifications under
the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) were also eligible for free HUD-approved credit counseling to assist them in creating
a household budget that lowers the risk of default in the future.
Previously set to expire on December 31, 2015, MHA was extended through 2016 due
to its widespread success and the continuing need for relief for millions of
homeowners nationwide. However, the number of applications under the MHA
program have declined overall in recent years due to both the stabilizing
housing market and drop in the unemployment rate. At the end of 2015, RealtyTrac
reported that there were 1,083,572 properties with foreclosure filings
nationwide—a significant drop from the peak of 2,871,891 properties with
foreclosure filings in 2010. As of May 2016, RealtyTrac reported a total of 896,913 properties in default, at
auction or repossessed by the banks.
The Obama administration has not yet
announced another one-year extension to the program through 2017, and it is
unclear at this time whether such an extension will be granted. The unknowns
that are involved with the looming presidential election make the possibility
of an extension even less clear. Though
the foreclosure rate is down, there is still a great need for the MHA program
for the many properties currently in foreclosure and the many millions more
that are still at risk for default.
Homeowners who are still facing the
possibility of foreclosure may apply for any of the foreclosure alternative
programs under MHA on or before December 31, 2016 deadline.
Though it is not necessary to have a
decision on the application for a loan modification, short sale, or
deed-in-lieu by the end of 2016 to be eligible under the MHA program, servicers
are required
under the MHA program to design
policies and procedures that ensure that permanent modifications are effective
by December 1, 2017 and short sales and deeds-in-lieu are closed by December 1,
2017.
Struggling homeowners should apply
now to take advantage of the foreclosure alternatives provided by the MHA
program before the deadline of December 31, 2016. If homeowners do not apply by
that date, they will be limited to applying for lender/servicer in-house
programs, which are usually limited in scope and may not be as affordable or
reasonable as the offers under the MHA program.
The candidates for the 2016 election should take a position on the possibility of extending the MHA program through 2017 in order to help the millions in foreclosure and in default.
The candidates for the 2016 election should take a position on the possibility of extending the MHA program through 2017 in order to help the millions in foreclosure and in default.
