The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has extended the foreclosure moratoria related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which wreaked havoc in the Southeast in the fall, leaving many homeowners with damaged homes and strained finances.

The extension, announced via a mortgagee letter, is effective through April 11, 2025. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) automatically provides an automatic foreclosure moratorium of 90 days beginning on the date of any presidential declaration of a major disaster area; President Joe Biden declared many areas in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia major disaster areas between Sept. 28 and Oct. 11. HUD and the FHA decided to prolong the moratorium due to the extent of the damage in some areas, giving borrowers more time to access needed housing resources.

The moratorium applies to all FHA Title II single family forward mortgages and home equity conversion mortgage (HECM) programs. Borrowers with FHA-backed mortgages on properties affected by the two storms should be advised to contact their loan servicer immediately for assistance. Borrowers can also obtain additional assistance on the FHA Disaster Relief website or via a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.