Ed. note: This was also posted on Treasury Notes and onthe Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's blog.
Our military families make many sacrifices for our nation, and not just when a servicemember goes into combat. Military families also face challenges when a servicemember receives orders for a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move to another base, and the family has to decide whether to go along or live apart. Unfortunately, for many military families, this challenge has become more difficult in the wake of the housing market downturn.This is because like other Americans, many military homeowners are currently underwater on their mortgage. Because their home’s value has decreased since they purchased it, these servicemembers may not be able to sell their home at a price that will pay off their mortgage, and they may not be able to rent out their home at a price that will cover their monthly mortgage payments. These military homeowners also may get a lower housing allowance at their new duty station, and may face additional loss of income while their spouse looks for a new job.Suddenly, military homeowners who have been faithfully paying their mortgage on time face a real risk of falling behind.
In the last few weeks, Treasury and the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the CFPB have worked together to address this issue. And, as a result, Treasury is making important changes to its Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) that will provide more opportunities for mortgage assistance to military homeowners.
Fonte: White House