Mortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Act

This bill lets borrowers with federally backed mortgages pause their loan payments if a President-declared disaster damages or destroys their property in the disaster area. To get this help, they must send a written request to their loan servicer and include proof of the damage. The pause is available during the “covered period,” which runs from the start of the disaster declaration until it ends.

Once the servicer gets the request, it must grant a 180-day payment pause, even if the loan is already behind. The borrower can ask for one extension of up to another 180 days and can end the pause at any time. While payments are paused, no extra fees, penalties, or interest beyond the normal scheduled amounts can pile up.

• Who is affected: Borrowers with federally backed mortgage loans on properties in the declared disaster area that were damaged or destroyed (terms include both single-family and multifamily federally backed mortgages).
• What changes: Right to request a 180-day forbearance, with one possible 180-day extension; no added fees, penalties, or extra interest; can stop the pause anytime.
• When: During the covered period, from the start of the federal disaster declaration until it ends.