VA rolls out new foreclosure prevention program for veterans amid watchdog concerns

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is rolling out a new program to help veterans avoid foreclosure, but a federal watchdog is warning that the agency lacks a comprehensive plan to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. The Partial Claim Program, which provides mortgage relief to veterans who have fallen behind on payments, officially took effect June 15, although mortgage servicers have until Nov. 28 to complete implementation, including establishing the systems and procedures needed to administer the assistance. kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m&?56C E96 AC@8C2>[ 'p C6:>3FCD6D >@CE8286 D6CG:46CD 7@C >:DD65 A2J>6?ED 2?5 46CE2:? 766D[ 3C:?8:?8 3@CC@H6CD 4FCC6?E @? E96:C =@2?D] '6E6C2?D C6A2J E96 2>@F?E H:E9@FE :?E6C6DE H96? E96J D6== @C C67:?2?46 E96:C 9@>6D[ A2J @77 E96:C >@CE8286D @C C6249 E96 6?5 @7 E96:C =@2? E6C>D] q@CC@H6CD >FDE 4@>A=6E6 2 E9C66\>@?E9 EC:2= A2J>6?E A=2? 56>@?DEC2E:?8 E96:C 23:=:EJ E@ C6DF>6 C68F=2C >@CE8286 A2J>6?ED E@ BF2=:7J]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m%96 AC@8C2> H2D 2FE9@C:K65 F?56C =68:D=2E:@? D:8?65 :?E@ =2H :? yF=J a_ad 2?5 :D D4965F=65 E@ 6IA:C6 :? yF=J a_b_ F?=6DD r@?8C6DD 6IE6?5D :E]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mx? 2 C6A@CE C6=62D65 %F6D52J[ E96 v@G6C?>6?E p44@F?E23:=:EJ ~77:46 7@F?5 E92E 'p 5@6D ?@E 92G6 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 6G2=F2E:@? A=2?[ ?@C 5@6D :E :?E6?5 E@ 368:? 2?2=JK:?8 AC@8C2> EC6?5D 2?5 @FE4@>6D F?E:= s646>36C a_af[ A@E6?E:2==J =:>:E:?8 :ED 23:=:EJ E@ 56E6C>:?6 H96E96C E96 AC@8C2> :D 249:6G:?8 :ED :?E6?565 C6DF=ED]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m“'p 92D A=2??65 2 9:89\=6G6= 2AAC@249 E@ 2DD6DD:?8 AC@8C2> 67764E:G6?6DD 3FE 92D ?@E 56G6=@A65 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 A=2? E@ 5@ D@[” vp~ HC@E6 :? :ED C6A@CE 9:89=:89ED] “(:E9@FE 2 4@>AC696?D:G6 A=2?[ 'p 2?5 r@?8C6DD H:== ?@E 92G6 E:>6=J 2?5 4C65:3=6 6G2=F2E:@? C6DF=ED ?66565 E@ >2<6 564:D:@?D 23@FE E96 AC@8C2> 2?5 :56?E:7J 492?86D E92E 4@F=5 :>AC@G6 @FE4@>6D 7@C G6E6C2? 3@CC@H6CD[ 96=A AC6G6?E 7@C64=@DFC6[ 2?5 C65F46 4@DED E@ E2IA2J6CD]”k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mvp~ H2C?65 E92E 'pVD AC@A@D65 2AAC@249 5@6D ?@E 256BF2E6=J 5:DE:?8F:D9 E96 AC@8C2>VD 67764ED 7C@> @E96C 724E@CD :?7=F6?4:?8 3@CC@H6C @FE4@>6D @C 255C6DD A@E6?E:2= :>AC@G6>6?ED E@ :ED 56D:8?]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mt:89E @7 `_ @C82?:K2E:@?D :?E6CG:6H65 3J vp~ 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C?D E92E 2 AC@G:D:@? 86?6C2==J =:>:E:?8 G6E6C2?D E@ @?6 A2CE:2= 4=2:> A6C =@2? 4@F=5 AFE E96> 2E 2 5:D25G2?E286 4@>A2C65 H:E9 3@CC@H6CD A2CE:4:A2E:?8 :? @E96C 7656C2= >@CE8286 2DD:DE2?46 AC@8C2>D[ H9:49 A6C>:E >F=E:A=6 4=2:>D H:E9:? 46CE2:? =:>:ED]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m$:I @C82?:K2E:@?D 2=D@ DFAA@CE65 2==@H:?8 3@CC@H6CD E@ 4@>3:?6 A2CE:2= 4=2:>D H:E9 =@2? >@5:7:42E:@?D[ H9:49 4@F=5 C65F46 >@?E9=J A2J>6?ED] 'p @77:4:2=D D2:5 4FCC6?E =2H 86?6C2==J 5@6D ?@E 2FE9@C:K6 E9@D6 492?86D]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m|@C6 E92? h[___ 9@>6D H:E9 'p\8F2C2?E665 >@CE8286D H6C6 7@C64=@D65 FA@? :? a_ad[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 286?4J 52E2 4:E65 :? E96 C6A@CE]k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?mvp~ F?56CD4@C65 E96 :>A@CE2?46 @7 D2E:D724E@CJ AC@8C2> 6G2=F2E:@?D[ 2D E96 AC@8C2> C6BF:C6D 4@?8C6DD:@?2= C62FE9@C:K2E:@? E@ 4@?E:?F6 27E6C 7:G6 J62CD]  k^DA2?mk^Am kA 5:ClQ=ECQmkDA2?m'p 5:5 ?@E AC@G:56 4@>>6?ED @? E96 C6A@CE]k^DA2?mk^Am