In every mortgage crisis, communication with mortgage servicers is critical.  When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and mortgage payment forbearance was enacted by Congress, NHRC moved to improve communication between mortgage servicers, homeowners and housing counselors.  We have assembled a directory of mortgage servicer telephone lines and online intake portals for homeowners to reach their servicer directly. The consumer servicer directory is available here and we update it regularly. We also have a second directory for housing counselors with servicer communication channels exclusively for counselors along with escalation lines for counselors to solve problems with servicers.  This counselor directory is only available for counselors with HUD approved housing counseling agencies.  It is on our website, and is password protected, so that only housing counselors will have access.  As a result, servicers will know they are working with a professional housing counselor with training in delinquency counseling.  And the communication channels will not be overwhelmed by users.  Counselors will have written permission from homeowners to share information and discuss their cases with mortgage servicers. Thirty-four mortgage servicers participate in the directory and early reviews have been very positive.  Creating the directory prompted several major servicers to establish counselor hotlines and dedicated staff to facilitate resolutions.  The HUD Office of Housing Counseling, HopeNow, and the Housing Policy Council provided valuable help in assembling these lists. We will continue to update these directories. If you have any additions or corrections, please send them to Ellie Pepper at epepper@hsgcenter.org. And for counselors, please share your experiences with the directory, so that we know what is working and what needs improvement.

On Tuesday, September 1, the Centers for Disease Control an unprecedented action and issued a national moratorium on most evictions for nonpayment of rent. The moratorium takes effect September 4th, 2020.  The CDC declared the moratorium to ensure that renters can practice social distancing and remain in compliance with stay at home orders in their states during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Prior to this action, many state level moratoriums were about to expire. Please note, the moratorium does not cancel or cover back rent, utilities or fees. It also does not provide emergency assistance for housing. The moratorium only postpones evictions. A few details about the action; to be covered under the moratorium: Renters must sign and provide to their landlord a declaration stating they have used their best efforts to obtain rental assistance. Tenants cannot earn no more $99,000 in 2020 (or no more than $198,000 if filing jointly), was not required to report income in 2019 to the IRS or have received an Economic Impact Payment under the CARES Act. Tenants must be unable to pay full rent or make a full rent payment due to loss of income, work hours or medical costs, and must be trying to make partial rent payments. Tenants would be at risk of an eviction would face homelessness or forced to join other households. The moratorium goes through December 31, 2020. You may find the eviction moratorium form to submit to landlords here: https://www.hsgcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/declaration-form.pdf This action may help some tenants; however, it does not go far enough. Congress must act and pass legislation that provides robust stimulus funding for Covid-19 relief for homeowners, tenants, communities and those at risk or experiencing homelessness. This summer, NHRC worked closely with [...]