Today, to help borrowers at risk of losing their home due to the coronavirus national emergency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will extend the moratoriums on single-family foreclosures and real estate owned (REO) evictions until at least December 31, 2020. The foreclosure moratorium applies to Enterprise-backed, single-family mortgages only. The REO eviction moratorium applies to properties that have been acquired by an Enterprise through foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure transactions. The current moratoriums were set to expire on August 31, 2020.
“To help keep borrowers in their homes during the pandemic, FHFA is extending the Enterprises’ foreclosure and eviction moratoriums through the end of 2020,” said Director Mark Calabria. “This protects more than 28 million homeowners with an Enterprise-backed mortgage.”
Currently, FHFA projects additional expenses of $1.1 to 1.7 billion will be borne by the Enterprises due to the existing COVID-19 foreclosure moratorium and its extension. FHFA will continue to monitor the effect of coronavirus on the mortgage industry and update its policies as needed. To understand the protections and assistance offered by the government to those having trouble paying their mortgage, please visit the joint Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHFA, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website at cfpb.gov/housing.