HLP and IndiSoft announced today that the HLP portal is now accepting homeowner requests for assistance from Hurricane Harvey victims. HLP’s technology partner, IndiSoft, has built a new case type in its communications platform to enable these families to access other government assistance programs to help keep their homes. Homeowners affected by the devastating hurricane may be able to suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months, or take advantage of others relief offers from their mortgage servicer. Homeowners or their U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved nonprofit counseling agency will only need to provide HLP with a limited amount of information to submit a request to suspend their mortgage payment or other assistance from their mortgage company.

“HLP is ready to assist homeowners, counseling agencies, servicers and investors utilize all government assistance programs available to help homeowners save their homes during this national crisis,” said Mark Cole, HLP’s CEO. “We are thankful that IndiSoft has developed a fast, secure way for a homeowner to guarantee their requests for assistance will be received by their servicer. Our platform creates a permanent record of all documents submitted, which eliminates any possible dispute.”

Homeowners can register online at homeownerconnect.org, fill in some basic information and upload the required documents. Counseling agencies can create new cases for assisting homeowners using the existing counselor portal. In most cases, a simple letter about how a home has been damaged by Hurricane Harvey is all that is needed to start the process. This information is then electronically submitted to servicers for review and processing.

“With Texas not being your typical state for flooding, many of the homes are without flood insurance coverage. The last thing homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey need to think about is how they can contact their mortgage servicer and access much needed services being offered by federal and local government agencies,” said Sanjeev Dahiwadkar, CEO of IndiSoft. “We hope by extending assistance to homeowners through this portal, and with the help of HUD-approved counseling agencies, families will receive the help they need in a timely manner.”

Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD have announced various efforts to help homeowners. For example, Freddie Mac has authorized mortgage companies to suspend payments for up to 12 months for homeowners with mortgages owned by Freddie Mac who live in a major disaster area where federal individual assistance programs have been extended. They are also authorized to waive assessment of penalties or late fees again borrowers with disaster-damaged homes. Fannie Mae announced that it will implement a 90-day foreclosure sale suspension and a 90-day eviction suspension for borrowers with properties located within FEMA-declared disaster areas that are eligible for FEMA Individual Assistance. HUD will offer mortgage and foreclosure relief as well as other assistance to some families, including to the 200,000 FHA-insured homeowners, living in the affected areas.