Disaster survivors get mortgage payment pause, but only if their bank is Fannie Mae
H.R. 2928 — Mortgage Relief for Disaster Survivors Act · Filed by Judy Chu (D-CA) · 13 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 17, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows homeowners and multifamily property owners with federally backed mortgages (those purchased or securitized by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac) to pause loan payments for up to 180 days after a presidentially declared disaster, with one 180-day extension available. During forbearance, no additional fees, penalties, or interest accrue beyond what the mortgage contract already requires. Borrowers must document property damage and can end forbearance early.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is a temporary payment-pause right for disaster-affected borrowers with federally backed mortgages. It is a narrowly tailored consumer protection measure tied to a defined triggering event (presidential disaster declaration).
What the text implies
- Forbearance does not forgive principal or interest; accrued interest and principal remain due after the forbearance period ends, potentially creating a balloon payment or extended amortization burden for borrowers already financially stressed by disaster.
- The bill applies only to federally backed mortgages (Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac), leaving borrowers with portfolio loans or private mortgages without statutory relief, creating a two-tier system based on loan type rather than need.
- No explicit provision addresses what happens if a borrower cannot resume payments after forbearance ends; the bill does not mandate loan modification, refinancing assistance, or other post-forbearance remedies.
- Servicers are required to grant forbearance 'regardless of delinquency status,' which may conflict with existing servicing guidelines or investor requirements for non-agency loans; implementation clarity is absent.
Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.
Who it affects
Disaster survivors facing property damage gain immediate relief from mortgage obligations without penalty, allowing them to redirect resources to emergency repairs and recovery. The forbearance is temporary (360 days maximum) and does not forgive principal, so lenders retain their underlying claim; borrowers simply get time to stabilize.
Who stands to gain
- disaster-affected homeowners and multifamily property owners
- borrowers with federally backed mortgages
Named in the bill
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), President (disaster declaration authority), Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, mortgage servicers
Where it stands
13 cosponsors: 13 Democrats.
- Apr 17, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
- Apr 17, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Financial Services · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services”
Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.
How this was measured
Analysis — Quorum's AI read the bill text published by Congress.gov (3,413 characters) on Jun 3, 2026. Section numbers in the findings refer to that text, linked below; transparency and hidden-provision scores are compared against the median of 16,222 analysed bills.
Status and sponsors — Congress.gov's bill record — actions, committee referrals and cosponsors — loaded nightly. The timeline shows status changes, not every procedural action.
As of — page rendered 2026-10-20.
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