Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP)
Candlefocus EditorIn the wake of the Great Recession and the declining housing market, homeowners found themselves in a difficult situation. They had purchased their homes during the housing boom and were now unable to keep up with their payments. HAMP provided a much-needed lifeline to these homeowners and allowed them to stay in their homes.
HAMP provided several different types of assistance for homeowners. Homeowners who participated in the program could get their loans modified in one of three ways. They could have their principal reduced to an affordable level, get a reduction in their interest rate, or get an extension of their loan term. This allowed homeowners to bring down their monthly payments to an amount they could afford each month.
The program also allowed homeowners to avoid or postpone payments until they could catch up. This allowed those homeowners the time they needed to get their finances back in order and back on track. It also provided borrowers a bridge between the period of hardship and the eventual return to stable financial times.
HAMP expired at the end of 2016 and has not been renewed. Although the program had expired, many homeowners are still benefiting from the assistance they were able to secure. At its peak, the program assisted more than 1.7 million homeowners and is credited with helping stabilize the housing market and keeping the foreclosure rate at bay.
Homeowners who need assistance with their mortgages can still turn to their lenders and government assistance programs, although none are as extensive as HAMP. Despite the HAMP program's expiration, the legacy that it left behind is evidence that government assistance can be beneficial for struggling homeowners.