Affordable Housing Program in Jeopardy

An effective, affordable housing down payment assistance program, administered by nonprofit organizations that have helped nearly one million low-and-moderate-income families become homeowners, would be eliminated under a federal proposal submitted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Nonprofits such as AmeriDream, Inc. of Gaithersburg, MD and Nehemiah Corp. of America, of Sacramento, CA would be banned from providing down payment help to homebuyers who qualify for a FHA-insured mortgage, but lack the money they need for down payment and closing costs.

HUD has proposed the new rule in response to its concerns that is that the contract sale price is “often increased to ensure that the seller’s net proceeds are not diminished” in transactions involving nonprofits that provide downpayment assistance.

Currently, nonprofit organizations that provide down payment assistance account for nearly 40% of all FHA-insured loans.

The National Association of Homebuilders has already publicly voiced it support for nonprofit organizations like AmeriDream. In addition, the Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA) has gone to bat for seller-funded down-payment assistance.

"Down payment assistance is a key to expanding homeownership," David Ledford, a vice president of the National Association of Homebuilders, said in a recent interview with Bloomberg News. "We think guidelines can be developed to keep prices down."

If you are concerned about the negative impact that this rule will have on mortgage lending or if you are a home buyer that could now be locked out of an opportunity for homeownership, your local representative needs to hear from you. Please go to the Take Action page of AHAA to take action.