The


U.S.
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
Development
(HUD)
announced
this
week
that
it
is
extending
a
90-day
foreclosure
moratorium
for
all


Federal
Housing
Administration
(FHA)-insured
mortgages
to
the
federal
disaster
area
in

Texas
stemming
from
severe
weather,
tornadoes
and
flooding
that
hit
several
counties
beginning
on
April
26.

The

initially-declared
federal
disaster
zone
included
the
counties
of
Harris,
Liberty,
Montgomery,
Polk,
San
Jacinto,
Trinity
and
Walker.
On
Wednesday,
Gov.
Greg
Abbott
(R)

added
Calhoun,
Delta,
Jones
and
Lamar
counties
to
the
state-designated
disaster
area,
but
these
areas
have
yet
to
be
added
to
the
federally
declared
area.

The
HUD
relief
includes
a
90-day
moratorium
on

foreclosures
for
FHA-insured
loans,
in
addition
to
those
under
the
Section
184
Indian
Home
Loan
Guarantee
program
for
Native
American
borrowers.
Additionally,
Texas
residents
with

Home
Equity
Conversion
Mortgages
(HECMs)
in
these
counties
will
be
granted
a
90-day
extension
in
a
foreclosure
evaluation.

“Homeowners
affected
by
the
disaster
should
contact
their
mortgage
or
loan
servicer
immediately
for
assistance,”
HUD
said
in
its
announcement.
“Conventional
mortgage
holders
may
also
be
eligible
for
additional
relief
through
their
mortgage
holder.”

The
areas
suffered
severe
damage
after
a
total
of
14
tornadoes
struck
the
region
beginning
April
26,
according
to
the

National
Weather
Service
and

reporting
from
a
local

NBC
News
affiliate.
One
tornado
had
wind
speeds
of
110
mph
while
others
severely
damaged
homes,
trees
and
vehicles.

Subsequent
reporting
by

The
Texas
Tribune
said
that

at
least
three
people
were
killed
by
the
storms
as
the
state
and
federal
governments
began
tallying
the
damage.

A
separate
system
of
severe
weather

struck
the
city
of
Houston
last
week,
which
could
leave
parts
of
the
city
without
power
for
weeks.
At
least
four
fatalities
have
been
confirmed.

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