Treasury announces Home Price Decline Protection incentives
As part of an ongoing effort to expand relief to struggling homeowners, the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury has released the Supplemental Directive for its Home Price Decline Protection (HPDP) program, a component of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HPDP provides additional incentive payments for modifications on properties located in areas where home prices have recently declined. The purpose of the program is to encourage additional lender participation and HAMP modifications in areas with recent price declines by helping to offset any incremental collateral loss on modifications that do not succeed. HPDP will help ensure that borrowers in areas with recent home price declines have the opportunity to stay in their homes, thereby minimizing foreclosures, which further depress home values.
“This is an important next step in our multi-faceted efforts to bring relief to struggling homeowners and stabilize the housing market,” said Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions Michael Barr. “Home price decline protection can help homeowners who may not have been reached otherwise.”
All HAMP loan modifications begun after Sept. 1, 2009, are eligible for HPDP payments.
HAMP offers incentives to investors/lenders, servicers, and homeowners for successful mortgage modifications. The “pay-for-success” structure of HAMP provides incentives to create sustainable mortgage modifications in a manner most cost effective for taxpayers.
Go to http://www.financialstability.gov/docs/press/SupplementalDirective7-31-09.pdf for the complete report.