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COVID-19 INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

​FHFA continues to monitor the COVID-19 national emergency’s effect on the housing finance market and continues to update policies and guidance to ensure its regulated entities – Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (the Enterprises), and the F​ederal Home Loan B​anks (FHLBanks) – are fulfilling their mission.

We have gathered resources and information below, including the l​atest actions by FHFA, that provide guidance for lenders, servicers and others who directly assist homeowners and renters adversely impacted by COVID-19.

​​​As a financial regulator, FHFA is not able to ​offer direct assistance or field individual inquiries from renters, landlords, or borrowers. FHFA encourages anyone facing economic hardship as a result of COVID-1​9 to immediately contact their landlord or mortgage servicer (the company they send their mortgage payments to), to see if they qualify for payment relief.

For additional information regarding options for mortgage and rent payment relief, please visit cfpb.gov/housing.

​On this page:

Help for Homeowners
Help for R​enters
Fraud Preventi​on
Industry Resources

Recent News
Other Government Resources

New Resources Available for Renters and Landlords

Renters and landlords who don’t know where to turn can use a new website from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This website makes it easy to find rental assistance provider in your area. Go to: consumerfinance.gov/renthelp

​Help For Homeowners

If your ability to pay your mortgage is impacted, and your loan is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac (use the "loan lookup" tools: https://www.knowyouroptions.com/loanlookup for Fannie Mae or https://loanlookup.freddiemac.com for Freddie Mac to find out), you may be eligible to delay making your monthly mortgage payments for a temporary period, during which:

  • You won’t incur late fees. 

  • Foreclosure and other legal proceedings will be suspended        

5 steps to ask for mortgage forbearance due to the coronavirus

​​If your loan is owned by Fannie Mae refer to https://www.knowyouroptions.com/ for additional information. If your loan is owned by Freddie Mac, refer to https://myhome.freddiemac.com/getting-help for additional information.

Contact your mortgage servicer (the company where you send your monthly payments) as soon as possible to let them know about your current circumstances. The telephone number and mailing address of your mortgage servicer should be listed on your monthly mortgage statement. 

If you have trouble catching up at the end of this temporary relief period, additional assistance may be available. You are not required to repay missed payments all at once. 

  • If you are unable to repay your missed payments all at once and can afford to pay a higher monthly mortgage payment for a period of time, you may be eligible for a repayment plan which allows you to repay past due amounts over a period of time.
  • If you can afford to resume your monthly mortgage payment you may be eligible for a payment deferral which puts your missed mortgage payments and puts them into a payment due at the sale, or refinancing of the home, or the end of the loan.
  • If you have a sustained reduction in income and are unable to afford your regular monthly mortgage payment, you may be eligible for a loan modification which changes the terms of your loan to enable an affordable payment.

Servicers will reach out to you about 30 days before your forbearance plan is scheduled to end to determine which assistance program is best for you at that time. Work with your servicer to determine which option you are eligible for.

Additional assistance may be available under the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) which authorized $9.961 billion of federal funds to help homeowners who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 with certain housing-related costs. Please refer to the CFPB’s HAF Website for additional information.

Help For Renters

Those experiencing financial hardship should reach out to their landlord to discuss their situation and potential solutions. Renters can use a “loan lookup” tool to see if they are living in a property financed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Tenants also have access to housing counselors with expertise in rental assistance programs and other programs to overcome financial hardships (Fannie Mae Disaster Response Network 877-542-9723 and Freddie Mac MyHome 800-404-3097). These networks offer support from HUD-approved housing counselors, such as a personalized recovery assessment and action plan, financial coaching and budgeting, and ongoing check-ins.

Learn More

See Frequently Asked Questions about Enterprise assistance options for homeowners and renters impacted by COVID-19 or Information for Tenants in Rental Properties With a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac Mortgage.

Beware of Scams

Fraud Alert

During times of crisis, there is an increased risk of scams and fraud. Protect yourself by asking questions, reading the materials provided to you, and avoiding any solicitations requiring up-front cash payments. If you think you may have been a victim of a scam and your concerns with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or a Federal Home Loan Bank involve fraud, please contact the FHFA Office of Inspector General (FHFA OIG) at 800-793-7724 or visit the FHFA OIG's website​.

View the Coronavirus-Related Fraud Prevention Tips and Resources for Borrowers, Renters, and the Mortgage Industry for more information.​

Industry Resources

FHFA Announcements

Foreclosure Suspension for Borrowers Applying for Relief through the Homeowner Assistance Fund (4/6/2022)
FHFA Extends Availability of COVID-19 Multifamily Forbearance (9/24/2021)
FHFA Encourages Landlords of Enterprise-Backed Properties to Apply for Emergency Rental Assistance Before Evicting Tenants
​ (7/30/2021)
​​​​Secretaries of USDA, HUD, VA, Treasury, and FHFA Acting Director Release Joint Statement on Agency Actions to Prevent Evictions (7/30/2021)
​​​​FHFA Extends COVID-19 REO Eviction Moratorium Through September 30, 2021 (7/30/2021)
​​FHFA Announces Multifamily Tenant Protections (7/28/2021)
FHFA Eliminates Adverse Market Refinance Fee (7/16/2021)​
​​FHFA Expands Use of Interest Rate Reduction to Help Borrowers with a COVID-19 Hardship Reduce their Monthly Mortgage Payment (6/30/2021)​
​​FHFA Protects Borrowers After COVID-19 Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums End (6/29/2021)​
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums (6/24​/2021)
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Multifamily Forbearance through September 30, 2021 (6/3/2021)
FHFA Announces Extension of COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (4/21/2021)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (3/11/2021)
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Multifamily Forbearance through June 30, 2021 (3/4/2021)
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Forbearance Period and Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums (2/25/2021)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (2/10/2021)
FHFA Extends Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums and COVID Forbearance Period (2/9/2021)
FHFA Extends Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums (1/19/2021)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (1/14/2021)
FHFA Extends COVID-19 Multifamily Forbearance Through March 31, 2021 (12/23/2020)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (12/10/2020)
FHFA Extends Foreclosure and REO Eviction Moratoriums (12/2/2020)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities (11/13/2020)
Temporary Policy Allowing Purchase of Qualified Loans in Forbearance Extended (11/12/2020)
Temporary Policy Allowing Purchase of Qualified Loans in Forbearance Extended (10/21/2020)
FHFA Further Extends COVID-Related Loan Flexibilities​ (10/19/2020) 
FHFA Further Extends Buying Loans in Forbearance & COVID-Related Loan Processing Flexibilities (9/24/2020)
FHFA Further Extends Buying Loans in Forbearance & COVID-Related Loan Processing Flexibilities (8/26/2020)
Adverse Market Refinance Fee Implementation now December 1  (8/25/2020)
Multifamily Property Owners in Forbearance Now Required to Inform Tenants of Eviction Suspension and Tenant Protections (8/6/2020) 
Duty to Serve Adjustments in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic (7/22/2020)
FHFA Extends COVID-Related Loan Processing Flexibilities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Customers Through August (7/9/2020)
FHFA Provides Tenant Protections (6/29/2020)
FHFA Extends Foreclosure and Eviction Moratorium; Mor​atorium applies to Enterprise-backed mortgages (6/17/2020)
FHFA Makes Translated COVID-19 Resources Available in Six Languages; COVID-19 Servicing Scripts and Mortgage Assistance Application translations now available (6/16/2020)
FHFA Extends COVID-Related Loan Processing Flexibilities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Customers Through July (6/11/2020)
FHFA Announces Refinance and Home Purchase Eligibility for Borrowers in Forbearance (5/19/2020)
FHFA Extends Foreclosure and Eviction Moratorium;  Moratorium applies to Enterprise-backed mortgages (5/14/2020)
Enterprises to Offer Payment Deferral as a New Repayment Option for Homeowners in COVID-19 Forbearance Plans (5/13/2020)
CFPB, FHFA, & HUD Launch Joint Mortgage and Housing Assistance Website for Americans Impacted by COVID-19 (5/12/2020)
FHFA Extends Loan Processing Flexibilities for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Customers ​(5/5/2020)
FHFA Announces Tools to Help Renters Find Out if They are Protected from Eviction (5/4/2020)
"No Lump Sum Required at the End of Forbearance" says FHFA's Calabria​ (4/27/2020)
FHFA Supports Small Business by Allowing Federal Home Loan Banks to Accept Paycheck Protection Program Loans as Collateral (4/23/2020)
FHFA Announces that Enterprises will Purchase Qualified Loans in Forbearance to Keep Lending Flowing (4/22/2020)
FHFA and CFPB Announce Borrower Protection Program (4/15/2020)
Prepared Remarks of Dr. Mark A. Calabria, Director of FHFA, at Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) Principals Meeting (3/26/2020) 
FHFA Moves to Provide Eviction Suspension Relief for Renters in Multifamily Properties (3/23/2020)
FHFA Directs Enterprises to Grant Flexibilities for Appraisal and Employment Verifications (3/23/2020)
FHFA Authorizes the Enterprises to Support Additional Liquidity in the Secondary Mortgage Market  (3/23/2020)​
FHFA Suspends Foreclosures and Evictions for Enterprises During National Emergency (3/18/2020)
Statement from FHFA Director Mark Calabria on Coronavirus (3/10/2020)

Enterprise Resources

For a list of resources available for homeowners and renters, single- and multifamily Lenders/Servicers, and the latest Enterprise announcements visit the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac websites.

  

Federal Home Loan Bank Member Resources 

See links below for announcements and resources from the FHLBanks:​

Atlanta

Boston

Chicago

Cincinnati

Dallas

Des Moines

Indianapolis

​​​ New York

Pittsburgh

San Francisco

​Topeka


Recent News

New/revised content coming soon...

Video: FHFA Director Discusses Forbearance (4/6/2020)
DS5: Inside the Industry

Video: President Trump, state leaders take steps to protect homeowners amid COVID-19 pandemic (4/4/2020) 
Fox Business

Video: Chief regulator says mortgage bailout is ‘on the honor system’, pleads with borrowers to be honest (4/1/2020)
CNBC

​Video: Landlords, tenants face financial strain amid coronavirus  (3/31/2020)
Yahoo! Finance

No money for rent or mortgage? Here’s what to do. (3/28/2020)
The Washington Post

Video: FHFA's Calabria Doesn't See Virus Affecting Fannie, Freddie Conservatorship Exit  (3/25/2020)
Bloomberg

The U.S. Orders A Break On Mortgage Payments. What Does That Mean? (3/22/2020)
NPR

Chief mortgage regulator working on plan for potential spike in delinquencies from coronavirus (3/17/2020)
CNBC


Other Government Resources

The Department of Housing and Urban Development
For further information about your FHA-insured mortgage, contact the National Servicing Center at 877-622-8525. For other questions, contact the FHA Resource Center at 800-CALL-FHA (5342). For a list of HUD-approved housing counselors, go to: www.hud.gov or call 800-569-4287. 

The Department of Veteran Affairs
Veterans who have questions regarding their home loans should contact VA's home loan program toll free number, 877-827-3702, to speak with a Loan Technician.

Veterans whose homes have ever been modified with VA Specially Adapted Housing grant funds, should also contact VA at 877-827-3702 to speak with our staff.

The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau
The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) is committed to providing consumers with up-to-date information and resources to protect and manage their finances during this difficult time as the situation evolves. View the CFPB Guide to Coronavirus Mortgage Relief Options  or visit consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus.


Page​ last updated: October 11, 2022​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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