Fattah Applauds Colleagues Frank and Waters on Vote to Halt Mortgage Forecloses for Millions

Press Release

An estimated 5.5 million homeowners facing imminent foreclosure are one signature away from assistance thanks to legislation approved in both the Senate and House of Representatives. The plan is modeled after the successful Pennsylvania program Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) introduced and steered into law in 1983, the Homeowner's Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP) as a state representative in the Pennsylvania legislature. Since HEMAP's inception in Pennsylvania, more than 43,000 owners have avoided losing their homes.

The nationwide program, HEMA, would acquire $3 billion from the unused Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to make mortgage avoidance funds available for unemployed homeowners and those suffering financial distress. The legislation calls for lenders to inform a homeowner in mortgage default, about the HEMA program before the foreclosure process can begin. If eligible, a homeowner makes a fractional payment to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) instead of the lender. Provided the homeowner has a reasonable probability of resuming mortgage payments, HUD will assume full payment to the lender. Once the homeowner's immediate financial problems are resolved, they reassume full responsibility for the mortgage and pay back the HUD for the temporary loan.

On behalf of the millions able to take advantage of the program and stay in their homes, Congressman Fattah thanked his colleagues for their support in ensuring his legislation, first introduced in the house seven years ago, was included in the Wall Street Financial Reform and Consumer Act.

"Under the leadership of Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, who incorporated the language in the bill and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chair of the Housing Subcommittee, who helped steer the bill through committee, millions of owners will be relieved of the stress of simultaneously securing a job and securing their home," said Fattah.

Additionally, Fattah praised the Democratic members of the committee for their support and advocacy on behalf of those facing foreclosure:

Paul Kanjorski, PA Carolyn Maloney, NY Luis Gutierrez, IL
Nydia Velázquez, NY Melvin Watt, NC Gary Ackerman, NY
Brad Sherman, CA Gregory Meeks, NY Dennis Moore, KS
Michael Capuano, MA Rubén Hinojosa, TX Wm. Lacy Clay, MO
Carolyn McCarthy, NY Joe Baca, CA Stephen Lynch, MA
Brad Miller, NC David Scott, GA Al Green, TX
Emanuel Cleaver, MO Melissa Bean, IL Gwen Moore, WI
Paul Hodes, NH Keith Ellison, MN Ron Klein, FL
Charles Wilson, OH Ed Perlmutter, CO Joe Donnelly, IN
Bill Foster, IL André Carson, IN Jackie Speier, CA
Travis Childers, MS Walt Minnick, ID John Adler, NJ
Mary Jo Kilroy, OH Steve Driehaus, OH Suzanne Kosmas, FL
Alan Grayson, FL James Himes, CT Gary Peters, MI
Daniel Maffei, NY

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