Is there anything in the HAP program for me?
In 2009 when President Obama expanded the Conventional HAP, which had been in place since 1966, the intent was to assist military families that were struggling with housing issues caused by the mortgage crisis, but precipitated even further by PCS military moves.
The expanded HAP included provision to assist wounded soldiers, surviving spouses, bases affected by the 2005 BRAC and military members required to PCS
during the mortgage crisis.
The requirements for qualification in these programs are detailed below.
Specific guidelines for the PCS provision limit those that are eligible for this benefit. To qualify for the 2009 HAP expansion under the PCS/mortgage crisis provision the military member must have:
- Owned home prior to July 1, 2006
- PCS orders dated between February 1, 2006 and September 30, 2010. (This date may be
- extended to September 30, 2012, at the discretion of the DUSD(I&E) based on
- availability of funds)
- Reassigned to a new duty station or home port outside a 50-mile radius of the member's
- former duty station or home port
- Suffered a decline of at least a 10% in home value from the date of purchase to date of
- sale (market value of the home will be verified by the USACE).
There was an opportunity for the PCS requirement to be extended to September 30, 2012; currently the DUSD has declined to make that extension. IN summary of these requirements, you could have moved away by PCS from your home and continued to rent it and still qualify for the HAP. But if you are PCSing this year, you will not qualify unless the DUSD moves to extend the program.
Guidelines for HAP eligibility via the 2005 BRAC benefits include:
- Were assigned to the BRAC impacted organization on the announcement date, 13 May 2005.
- Relocate beyond the normal commuting distance from the primary residence (50 miles) because of a transfer, employment, or retirement from BRAC impacted organization, because position is relocated or eliminated.
- BRAC impacted civilian employees may voluntarily retire if position is eliminated or relocated.
- BRAC impacted service members must be under mandatory retirement orders to be eligible.
- Sell their primary residence between July 1, 2006 and September 30, 2012.
- new residence must be within 50 miles of the new duty station.
- were the owner-occupant of their primary residence before May 13, 2005, the date of
- the BRAC 2005 announcement. (An owner-occupant is someone who has both
- purchased and resided in the residence on or before May 13, 2005.)
- suffered a decline of at least a 10% in home value from the date of purchase to date of
- sale. (Market value of the home will be verified by the USACE.)
Guidelines for receiving benefit under the extended HAP for injured veterans include:
- Those who receive a disability rating of 30% or more for an unfitting condition (using the Department of Veterans Affairs Schedule for Ratings Disabilities), or who are eligible for Service member's Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection Program, or whose treating physician (in a grade of at least captain in the Navy or Coast Guard or colonel in Army or Air Force) certifies that the member is likely, by a preponderance of the evidence, to receive a disability rating of 30% or more for an unfitting condition for wounds, injuries, or illness incurred in the line of duty while deployed, on or after September 11, 2001.
- There must be a need to relocate from the primary residence in furtherance of medical treatment, rehabilitation, or due to medical retirement resulting from the wound, injury, or illness, and a need to market the primary residence for sale due to the wound, injury or illness.
- Guidelines for receiving the benefit under the extended HAP for surviving spouse include:
- The surviving spouse of a Service member or of a civilian employee whose spouse dies as the result of a wound, injury, or illness incurred in the line of duty while deployed (or forward deployed for civilian employees) on or after September 11, 2001, and who relocate from the member's or civilian employee's primary residence within two years of the death of spouse.
If you fall within these requirements for the Extended HAP program, click here for information about ensuring your eligibility and applying for HAP benefits.