Department of Defense expands Housing Assistance Program Published May 29, 2009 23rd Wing Legal Office MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Due to the state of the current housing market, the Department of Defense has recently developed several plans help assist struggling homeowners. The most important plan relevant to members of Moody is the expansion of the Housing Assistance Program. The goal of the program is to minimize the amount of financial harm experienced by servicemembers compelled to move during this distinctive real estate market. The HAP expansion applies to three groups of military members: military members and federal civilian employees living near a closing and realigned base; individuals who are considered to be a wounded warrior - those wounded, ill or injured on deployment and reassigned to receive medical treatment; and members required to relocate as a result of a permanent change of station. Minimum requirements for the program and highlights according to the DoD include: - Wounded warrior applications will be processed first, regardless of submission date - Other applicants will be processed on a first come, first serve basis - Benefits are only available to those selling their primary residence - Program allows for a 90 percent reimbursement of the members' purchase price (95 percent for wounded warriors) - Individuals must have personally experienced a loss of 10 percent between the purchase and sale price, and the home must be in a housing market area that has suffered a 10 percent or greater decline - PCS orders must relocate member to an area more than 50 miles from prior duty station - PCS members - the home must have been purchased before July 1, 2006; the PCS orders must be issued before Dec. 31, 2009; and applications must be received by March 31, 2010. More information will be forthcoming as additional guidance is published by the Office of the Secretary of Defense OSD and the Army, but applicants are encouraged to submit paperwork as early as possible. For more information, call (229) 257-3414 and make a legal assistance appointment. Visit the following Web sites for additional assistance: http://hap.usace.army.mil/Documents/DOD_Guidance.pdf (DoD regulations) http://hap.usace.army.mil/Documents/Application_instructions.pdf (application process instructions) http://hap.usace.army.mil/Documents/Application_Pkg_Nov_08.pdf (application and checklist) The U.S. Army is the executive agent for implementing the program and uses the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement the program. Completed applications can be sent to the local HAP office in Savannah, Ga., at the following address: HAP Field Office, Savannah US Army Engineer, District Savannah Attn: Re-AH P.O. Box 889 Savannah, Georgia 31402