Homeowners Assistance Program and GFAFB

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Callahan
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  To help with losses on the sale of their home in the event of the actual or pending closing of bases due to the Base Realignment and Closure initiative, the Department of Defense offers the Homeowners Assistance Program to eligible military members, federal civilian and non-appropriated fund employees.

The program is a team effort between installation commanders, housing offices and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Members of Grand Forks Air Force Base are eligible if they bought their home or entered in to a contract for purchase of a home prior to the May 13, 2005, BRAC announcement.

Generally, HAP provides assistance in four possible ways. If eligible for benefits, the government may reimburse part of the loss from selling a home; assist if the proceeds from the sale of the home is less than the mortgage balance; buy the home by paying off the mortgage; or help if the mortgage is defaulted.

The base's housing office can help eligible homeowners complete the application.

Approval for implementation of HAP is made by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Housing after there is a documented decline in the real estate market. Although the housing market in the area hasn't declined, the Fort Worth District Army Corps of Engineers is currently monitoring the area real estate market to determine the impact the announced realignment of Grand Forks AFB is having. For more information, contact the housing office at 747-3035, call the toll free HAP Hot Line at 1-888-363-4271 or visit the HAP Web site at http://www.swf.usace.army.mil/pubdata/hap/hap.asp.