The Mortgage Payment Assistance (MPA) helps approved homeowners pay their mortgages for up to one year or $20,000, whichever comes first. OHSI is now accepting applications for a new MPA program: MPA-U. This program provides assistance to unemployed homeowners by sending payments directly to loan servicers for the full monthly amount due.

In addition to monthly mortgage payments, some participants may qualify for reinstatement of arrearages through the Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative’s Loan Preservation Program.

Mortgage Payment Assistance is the largest OHSI program, funded at more than $125,000,000

More than 4,000 homeowners have received assistance from the MPA program. OHSI is making more than 3,000 slots available through the MPA-U program. Full reporting on the MPA program can be found on the “Reporting” page, updated quarterly.

To be eligible for MPA-U, a homeowner must:

• Be receiving Unemployment Insurance at the time of application
• Not be in active bankruptcy
• Own no other residential property
• Live in a single-family, detached dwelling
• Have a loan serviced by a participating lender or servicer

For a full list of eligibility criteria, take the MPA-U eligibility exam.

Homeowners can apply for the MPA-U program by creating an application on the MPA-U Program page, at the beginning of an application cycle . Application cycles are two-weeks long, and begin on Wednesdays at 12:00, noon. Each county will have a limited number of slots for MPA-U participants. The MPA-U system will only allow a homeowner to start the application process if slots remain available. For best chances of receiving help, homeowners should apply early in the cycle.

Before applying for the MPA-U program, watch this short video to learn more about the application process.

MPA benefits are provided through a 5-year forgivable loan. The loan is a non-recourse loan, and 20% of the balance is forgiven for each year you remain in your home. Funds are paid directly to mortgage servicers. Homeowners are liable for the balance of the loan if the property is sold, and equity is realized.

If you are unable to begin an application, it could be due to one or more of these reasons:

• The program is not yet available in your county
• All slots for the 2-week application cycle have been used; try again at the beginning of the next cycle
• The deadline for creating an online application has passed; try again at the beginning of the next cycle
• Your servicer is not enrolled in the MPA-U Program

No. Applications can only be accepted by applicants with a participating servicer. A full list of participating servicers is available on the servicers page. If you would like OHSI to contact your servicer for enrollment, send an e-mail to ohsi.servicers@hcs.state.or.us with a subject line of “servicer enrollment”. Within the body of the e-mail, please include the name and contact information you’re your servicer. Keep in mind that servicers are under no obligation to enroll in the MPA program.

No. If you received any assistance from the first program, you are ineligible for MPA-U. You may still be eligible for the Loan Preservation program when that program becomes available.

If your application was received before the deadline, it will be reviewed and then submitted to the state if complete. You will receive an e-mail indicating that your application has been sent to the state within 2 weeks of application. If your application was incomplete, you will be notified by OHSI via e-mail. Your account will be deactivated, and you’ll have to begin the process again, so be sure to check your application for completeness before sending it in.

MPA payments will be applied to the oldest outstanding amount due. Servicers have agreed to forebear on arrearages during the assistance period. During assistance, OHSI will review for Loan Preservation eligibility, allowing eligible MPA participants to receive reinstatement.

Homeowners in a HAMP trial period cannot receive MPA payments until the trial period is complete. Homeowners will need to choose between completing the HAMP trial period or receiving mortgage payment assistance. If you are found eligible for MPA assistance, OHSI will reserve your benefit for you if you are more than halfway through your HAMP trial period. If you have already received a permanent HAMP Modification, it will not conflict with your eligibility for the MPA program. If you have applied for HAMP, or are in a HAMP trial period, contact your servicer for more information.

If your application is currently under review, it is at one of the following steps, each necessary for reaching a MPA Program eligibility determination:

• Forward application to servicer for review Once a servicer has enrolled, OHSI forwards applications for review and servicers may approve or deny applications during their review.
• Await response from servicer OHSI is unable to proceed with its review until servicers have returned applications to OHSI.
• Review servicer response and application for eligibility After servicers return applications, OHSI reviews both applications and additional information provided by servicers to determine eligibility.
• Request and review additional information from applicant, as needed Based on servicers’ and OHSI’s review, additional information may be requested of applicants to complete our review.
• Review title information and prepare loan documents Once an application has been approved, OHSI prepares loan documents and forwards them to intake agencies for applicant signature.

If you have received a denial letter, the letter indicates the process for an appeal, if your denial is appealable. If you have lost your letter, or your intake agency has indicated that you are denied and you have yet to receive a letter, please contact OHSI at homeownerhelp@hcs.state.or.us for a copy of your letter. If you have been denied from the MPA program, please seek foreclosure counseling from counseling agency in your area.

To maintain eligibility, participants may not exceed 120 percent of state median income. Income is evaluated based on year-to-date information.

It depends on if you are in the original MPA program, or MPA-U.

MPA-U: To maintain eligibility, participants must:

• Still be receiving Unemployment Insurance Or
• Have exhausted their Unemployment Insurance, but not re-employed Or
• Have re-employed, but did not work full-time (32 hours) for more than half of the preceding quarter (9 of 16 weeks)

 

Orignal MPA:To maintain eligibility, participants may not exceed 120 percent of state median income. Income is evaluated based on year-to-date information.

 

Household Size	120% Median Income
1 Person	$53,640
2 Persons	$61,320
3 Persons	$69,000
4 Persons	$76,680
5 Persons	$82,800
6 Persons	$88,920
7 Persons	$95,040
8 Persons	$101,160

 

The MPA program will provide assistance for up to 12 months or $20,000, whichever is reached first, for as long as a participant remains eligible.

The Homeowner Education Program is a quarterly curriculum created to help enrolled homeowners maximize their MPA benefits. All enrolled participants are required to complete this series each quarter, for benefits to continue. To complete this program, participants will watch a short series of videos when their verification period begins, and then to complete a series of worksheets. Worksheets and videos are all available online on the MPA Program page. Worksheets should be turned in at the end of the quarter. If you have questions about the Homeowner Education Program, contact homeownerhelp@hcs.state.or.us or your local intake agency.

MPA benefits are provided as five-year, forgivable, interest-free, non-recourse loans. OHSI will defer all payments and forgive 20 percent of the balance each year. If homeowners sell their homes or refinance within five years, they may have to pay back some of the benefits. Intake agencies will provide more details about the MPA loan process when they (or OHSI?) generate(s) loan documents.

You can visit the www.oregon.gov Division of Finance and Corporate Securities (DFCS) website to locate HUD-approved Providers of Foreclosure Prevention Related Counseling in your area.
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For more information about how to identify and report a loan modification scam, visit the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website and learn about their new program, “Know it. Avoid it. Report it.”