Appendix A.  


Latest version.


  • PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY


    HOMEOWNER’S EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

    Date:



    ACT 91 NOTICE
    TAKE ACTION TO SAVE YOUR HOME FROM FORECLOSURE*

    This is an official notice that the mortgage on your home is in default, and the lender intends to foreclose. Specific information about the nature of the default is provided in the attached pages.

    The HOMEOWNER’S EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (HEMAP) may be able to help to save your home. This Notice explains how the program works. To see if HEMAP can help, you must MEET WITH A CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCY WITHIN 33 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE. Take this Notice with you when you meet with the Counseling Agency.


    The name, address and phone number of Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies serving your County are listed at the end of this Notice. If you have any questions, you may call the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency toll free at 1-800-342-2397. (Persons with impaired hearing can call (717) 780-1869).


    This Notice contains important legal information. If you have any questions, representatives at the Consumer Credit Counseling Agency may be able to help explain it. You may also want to contact an attorney in your area. The local bar association may be able to help you find a lawyer.

    LA NOTIFICACIO'N EN ADJUNTO ES DE SUMA IMPORTANCIA, PUES AFECTA SU DERECHO A CONTINUAR VIVIENDO EN SU CASA. SI NO COMPRENDE EL CONTENIDO DE ESTA NOTIFICACIO'N OBTENGA UNA TRADUCCIO'N INMEDIATAMENTE LLAMANDO ESTA AGENCIA (PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY) SIN CARGOS AL NUMERO MENCIONADO ARRIBA. PUEDE SER ELEGIBLE PARA UN PRE'STAMO POR EL PROGRAMA LLAMADO ‘‘HOMEOWNER’S EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM’’ EL CUAL PUEDE SALVAR SU CASA DE LA PERDIDA DEL DERECHO A REDIMIR SU HIPOTECA.

    * (Must be at least 30 point type)

    HOMEOWNER’S NAME(S):

    PROPERTY ADDRESS:

    LOAN ACCT. NO.:
    ORIGINAL LENDER:
    CURRENT LENDER/SERVICER:

    HOMEOWNER’S EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM


    YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WHICH CAN SAVE YOUR HOME FROM FORECLOSURE AND HELP YOU MAKE FUTURE MORTGAGE PAYMENTS

    IF YOU COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE HOMEOWNER’S EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1983 (THE ‘‘ACT’’), YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE:

    • IF YOUR DEFAULT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND YOUR CONTROL,

    • IF YOU HAVE A REASONABLE PROSPECT OF BEING ABLE TO PAY YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENTS, AND

    • IF YOU MEET OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY.

    TEMPORARY STAY OF FORECLOSURE—Under the Act, you are entitled to a temporary stay of foreclosure on your mortgage for thirty (30) days from the date of this Notice (plus three (3) days for mailing). During that time you must arrange and attend a ‘‘face-to-face’’ meeting with one of the consumer credit counseling agencies listed at the end of this Notice. THIS MEETING MUST OCCUR WITHIN THIRTY-THREE (33) DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE. IF YOU DO NOT APPLY FOR EMERGENCY MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, YOU MUST BRING YOUR MORTGAGE UP TO DATE. THE PART OF THIS NOTICE CALLED ‘‘HOW TO CURE YOUR MORTGAGE DEFAULT’’, EXPLAINS HOW TO BRING YOUR MORTGAGE UP TO DATE.

    CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCIES—If you meet with one of the consumer credit counseling agencies listed at the end of this notice, the lender may NOT take action against you for thirty (30) days after the date of this meeting. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of designated consumer credit counseling agencies for the county in which the property is located are set forth at the end of this Notice. It is only necessary to schedule one face-to-face meeting. Advise your lender immediately of your intentions.

    APPLICATION FOR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE—Your mortgage is in default for the reasons set forth later in this Notice (see following pages for specific information about the nature of your default). You have the right to apply for financial assistance from the Homeowner’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program. To do so, you must fill out, sign and file a completed Homeowner’s Emergency Assistance Program Application with one of the designated consumer credit counseling agencies listed at the end of this Notice. Only consumer credit counseling agencies have applications for the program and they will assist you in submitting a complete application to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. To temporarily stop the lender from filing a foreclosure action, your application MUST be forwarded to PHFA and received within thirty (30) days of your face-to-face meeting with the counseling agency.

    YOU SHOULD FILE A HEMAP APPLICATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU HAVE A MEETING WITH A COUNSELING AGENCY WITHIN 33 DAYS OF THE POSTMARK DATE OF THIS NOTICE AND FILE AN APPLICATION WITH PHFA WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THAT MEETING, THEN THE LENDER WILL BE TEMPORARILY PREVENTED FROM STARTING A FORECLOSURE AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY, AS EXPLAINED ABOVE, IN THE SECTION CALLED ‘‘TEMPORARY STAY OF FORECLOSURE.’’

    YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO FILE A HEMAP APPLICATION EVEN BEYOND THESE TIME PERIODS. A LATE APPLICATION WILL NOT PREVENT THE LENDER FROM STARTING A FORECLOSURE ACTION, BUT IF YOUR APPLICATION IS EVENTUALLY APPROVED AT ANY TIME BEFORE A SHERIFF’S SALE, THE FORECLOSURE WILL BE STOPPED.

    AGENCY ACTION—Available funds for emergency mortgage assistance are very limited. They will be disbursed by the Agency under the eligibility criteria established by the Act. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has sixty (60) days to make a decision after it receives your application. During that time, no foreclosure proceedings will be pursued against you if you have met the time requirements set forth above. You will be notified directly by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency of its decision on your application.

    NOTE: IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY PROTECTED BY THE FILING OF A PETITION IN BANKRUPTCY, THE FOLLOWING PART OF THIS NOTICE IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT THE DEBT. (If you have filed bankruptcy you can still apply for Emergency Mortgage Assistance.)

    HOW TO CURE YOUR MORTGAGE DEFAULT (Bring it up to date).

    NATURE OF THE DEFAULT—The MORTGAGE debt held by the above lender on your property located at:





    IS SERIOUSLY IN DEFAULT because:

    A. YOU HAVE NOT MADE MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS for the following months and the following amounts are now past due:





    Other charges (explain/itemize):





    TOTAL AMOUNT PAST DUE:


    B. YOU HAVE FAILED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION: (Do not use if not applicable.)





















    HOW TO CURE THE DEFAULT—You may cure the default within THIRTY (30) DAYS of the date of this notice BY PAYING THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAST DUE TO THE LENDER, WHICH IS $


    , PLUS ANY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS AND LATE CHARGES WHICH BECOME DUE DURING THE THIRTY (30) DAY PERIOD. Payments must be made either by cash, cashier’s check, certified check or money order made payable and sent to:






    You can cure any other default by taking the following action within THIRTY (30) DAYS of the date of this letter: (Do not use if not applicable.)





    IF YOU DO NOT CURE THE DEFAULT—If you do not cure the default within THIRTY (30) DAYS of the date of this Notice, the lender intends to exercise its rights to accelerate the mortgage debt. This means that the entire outstanding balance of this debt will be considered due immediately and you may lose the chance to pay the mortgage in monthly installments. If full payment of the total amount past due is not made within THIRTY (30) DAYS, the lender also intends to instruct its attorneys to start legal action to foreclose upon your mortgaged property.

    IF THE MORTGAGE IS FORECLOSED UPON—The mortgaged property will be sold by the Sheriff to pay off the mortgage debt. If the lender refers your case to its attorneys, but you cure the delinquency before the lender begins legal proceedings against you, you will still be required to pay the reasonable attorney’s fees that were actually incurred, up to $50.00. However, if legal proceedings are started against you, you will have to pay all reasonable attorney’s fees actually incurred by the lender even if they exceed $50.00. Any attorney’s fees will be added to the amount you owe the lender, which may also include other reasonable costs. If you cure the default within the THIRTY (30) DAY period, you will not be required to pay attorney’s fees.

    OTHER LENDER REMEDIES—The lender may also sue you personally for the unpaid principal balance and all other sums due under the mortgage.

    RIGHT TO CURE THE DEFAULT PRIOR TO SHERIFF’S SALE—If you have not cured the default within the THIRTY (30) DAY period and foreclosure proceedings have begun, you still have the right to cure the default and prevent the sale at any time up to one hour before the Sheriff’s Sale. You may do so by paying the total amount then past due, plus any late or other charges then due, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs connected with the foreclosure sale and any other costs connected with the Sheriff’s Sale as specified in writing by the lender and by performing any other requirements under the mortgage. Curing your default in the manner set forth in this notice will restore your mortgage to the same position as if you had never defaulted.

    EARLIEST POSSIBLE SHERIFF’S SALE DATE—It is estimated that the earliest date that such a Sheriff’s Sale of the mortgaged property could be held would be approximately


    months from the date of this Notice. A notice of the actual date of the Sheriff’s Sale will be sent to you before the sale. Of course, the amount needed to cure the default will increase the longer you wait. You may find out at any time exactly what the required payment or action will be by contacting the lender.

    HOW TO CONTACT THE LENDER:

    Name of Lender:
    Address:



    Phone Number:
    Fax Number:
    Contact Person:
    E-Mail Address:

    EFFECT OF SHERIFF’S SALE—You should realize that a Sheriff’s Sale will end your ownership of the mortgaged property and your right to occupy it. If you continue to live in the property after the Sheriff’s Sale, a lawsuit to remove you and your furnishings and other belongings could be started by the lender at any time.

    ASSUMPTION OF MORTGAGE—You


    may or
    may not (CHECK ONE) sell or transfer your home to a buyer or transferee who will assume the mortgage debt, provided that all the outstanding payments, charges and attorney’s fees and costs are paid prior to or at the sale and that the other requirements of the mortgage are satisfied.

    YOU MAY ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT:

    • TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO OBTAIN MONEY TO PAY OFF THE MORTGAGE DEBT OR TO BORROW MONEY FROM ANOTHER LENDING INSTITUTION TO PAY OFF THIS DEBT.

    • TO HAVE THIS DEFAULT CURED BY ANY THIRD PARTY ACTING ON YOUR BEHALF.

    • TO HAVE THE MORTGAGE RESTORED TO THE SAME POSITION AS IF NO DEFAULT HAD OCCURRED, IF YOU CURE THE DEFAULT. (HOWEVER, YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS RIGHT TO CURE YOUR DEFAULT MORE THAN THREE TIMES IN ANY CALENDAR YEAR.)

    • TO ASSERT THE NONEXISTENCE OF A DEFAULT IN ANY FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING OR ANY OTHER LAWSUIT INSTITUTED UNDER THE MORTGAGE DOCUMENTS.

    • TO ASSERT ANY OTHER DEFENSE YOU BELIEVE YOU MAY HAVE TO SUCH ACTION BY THE LENDER.

    • TO SEEK PROTECTION UNDER THE FEDERAL BANKRUPTCY LAW.

    CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING AGENCIES SERVING YOUR COUNTY


    (Fill in a list of all Counseling Agencies listed in Appendix C, FOR THE COUNTY in which the property is located, using additional pages if necessary).


    Source

    The provisions of this Appendix A amended through June 13, 1986, effective June 14, 1986, 16 Pa.B. 2126; amended July 1, 1994, effective July 2, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 3224; amended June 4, 1999, effective July 1, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 2859; amended August 29, 2008, effective for notices issued on or after January 1, 2009, 38 Pa.B. 4859. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (256057) to (256062).

    Cross References

    This appendix cited in 12 Pa. Code § 31.201 (relating to definitions); 12 Pa. Code § 31.202 (relating to eligibility for mortgage loan assistance); and 12 Pa. Code § 31.203 (relating to procedures).