HOME Relief for the TROOPS
March 30th, 2009 categories: Finance, Real Estate News, Relocating
Have you heard of the Housing Assistance Program (HAP)? Most of us haven’t. Why would we?
HAP is a Department of Defense (DoD) program to assist federal personnel who are stationed near an installation scheduled for closure or realignment, who, no fault of their own, are unable to sell their homes under reasonable terms and conditions. The good news is, the program has expanded.
The newly signed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 expands the HAP program. Not only does it cover personnel impacted by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC), but now has expended to include:
1) Service members and Defense Department and Coast Guard civilians injured, wounded or ill in the line of duty during a deployment, with at least a 30 percent disability rating determined by defense or Veterans Affairs officials, who have relocated or will relocate for medical treatment or due to medical retirement.
2) Surviving spouses of service members and Defense Department and Coast Guard civilians killed in the line of duty during a deployment, or who died from an injury or illness incurred in the line of duty during a deployment. Survivors must relocate within two years of the death to qualify.
3) Service members under PCS orders to a duty station outside a 50-mile radius of their current station. The primary residence must have been purchased by the owner before July 1, 2006, and sold between July 1, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2012. The reassignment must have been ordered between Feb. 1, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2012. Defense officials can designate earlier end dates.
4) Service members and civilians who must sell their homes to relocate because of 2005 Base Closure and Realignment Commission actions during the current housing market crisis, without tying the decline in home values to BRAC. Under current law, the Homeowners Assistance Program assists BRAC homeowners only when it can be shown that declining market value in an area is a direct result of a BRAC-related action.
For many military personnel, this additional coverage is a sight for sore eyes. Those who purchased during the home price run up that went amok from 2003 to its zenith in the summer of 2005, and, are now due to rotate again, are between a rock and a hard place. In most locations, home values have fallen precipitously since 2005. Additionally, many home prices have decreased 35% or more. Financially, selling is not an option. Instead, many home owners have decided to rent out their homes. Sometimes to the tune of a loss of $500 - $800 dollars a month. But, how long can any member of our military afford to lose that kind of money?
For uniformed personnel, if you haven’t already, take the time to learn about what the Housing Assistance Program has to offer. According to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers contact I talked to last week, the program should be off the ground during the next month or so. If you’re not in the market to sell your home, you probably know someone else in uniform who is. Pass the word. Let them know where to find out about the program. This is a good place to start:
For more information about benefits, eligibility, programs and application procedures, contact:
Homeowners Assistance Program
Attn: RE-AH
P.O. Box 889
Savannah, GA 31402-0889
800-861-8144
The program is being administered through the regional U.S. Corps of Engineers regional offices. Already, they are being flooded with applications for the program. Packages are being accepted and processed in the order received. They will begin processing the packages as soon as the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) gives the go ahead, which is expected in late April or early May. So, in other words, RUN, and don’t walk to the nearest regional office if you’re interested in participating in HAP!
