To address the damages wrought by Hurricane Debby, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is offering support to homeowners as they recover from what the White House designated a major disaster on Aug. 10.
Hurricane Debby made landfall in northern Florida on Aug. 5, bringing with it heavy rain and tornadoes as it made its way up the eastern coast. Five days later, President Joe Biden’s major disaster declaration for Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Manatee, Sarasota, Suwannee, and Taylor counties in Florida included grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover.
“Effective immediately, HUD is providing a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) as well as foreclosures of mortgages to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program,” the agency stated. “There is also a 90-day extension granted automatically for home equity conversion mortgages. The moratorium and extension are effective as of the president’s disaster declaration date.
“Homeowners affected by the disaster should contact their mortgage or loan servicer immediately for assistance,” it added. “Conventional mortgage holders may also be eligible for additional relief through their mortgage holder.”
In addition to the moratorium, HUD reminded the public about other ways the agency supports housing during emergency situations, including:
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