Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder Act of 2025 or the HELPER Act of 2025
This bill establishes a program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to law enforcement officers, elementary and secondary school teachers, firefighters, or other first responders. Specifically, these individuals may be eligible for a first-time mortgage on a primary family residence with no down payment. Instead, the mortgage is subject to a one-time, up-front mortgage insurance premium.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2094 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2094
To amend the National Housing Act to establish a mortgage insurance
program for first responders, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2025
Mr. Rutherford (for himself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Garbarino, and
Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Financial Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Housing Act to establish a mortgage insurance
program for first responders, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Homes for Every Local Protector,
Educator, and Responder Act of 2025'' or the ``HELPER Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. FHA MORTGAGE INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR MORTGAGES FOR FIRST
RESPONDERS.
Section 203 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1709) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(z) FHA Mortgage Insurance Program for Mortgages for First
Responders.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
``(A) First responder.--The term `first responder'
means an individual who is, as attested by the
individual--
``(i)(I) employed full-time by a law
enforcement agency of the Federal Government, a
State, a Tribal government, or a unit of
general local government; and
``(II) in carrying out such full-time
employment, sworn to uphold, and make arrests
for violations of, Federal, State, county,
township, municipal, or Tribal laws, or
authorized by law to supervise sentenced
criminal offenders or individuals with pending
criminal charges;
``(ii) employed full-time as a firefighter,
paramedic, or emergency medical technician by a
fire department or emergency medical services
responder unit of the Federal Government, a
State, a Tribal government, or a unit of
general local government; or
``(iii) employed as a full-time teacher by
a State-accredited public school or private
school that provides direct services to
students in grades pre-kindergarten through 12.
``(B) First-time homebuyer.--The term `first-time
homebuyer' has the meaning given the term in section
104 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable
Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12704).
``(C) State.--The term `State' has the meaning
given the term in section 201.
``(D) Tribal government.--The term `Tribal
government' means the recognized governing body of any
Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band, nation, pueblo,
village, community, component band, or component
reservation, individually identified (including
parenthetically) in the list published most recently
pursuant to section 104 of the Federally Recognized
Indian Tribe List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131).
``(2) Authority.--The Secretary may, upon application by a
mortgagee, insure any mortgage eligible for insurance under
this subsection to an eligible mortgagor and, upon such terms
and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, make commitments
for the insurance of such mortgages prior to the date of their
execution or disbursement.
``(3) Mortgage terms; mortgage insurance premium.--
``(A) Terms.--
``(i) In general.--A mortgage insured under
this subsection shall--
``(I) be made to an eligible
mortgagor;
``(II) comply with the requirements
established under paragraphs (1)
through (7) of subsection (b); and
``(III) be used only to--
``(aa) purchase or repair a
1-family residence, including a
1-family dwelling unit in a
condominium project, to serve
as a principal residence of the
mortgagor, as attested by the
mortgagor; or
``(bb) purchase a principal
residence of the mortgagor, as
attested by the mortgagor,
which is--
``(AA) a
manufactured home to be
permanently affixed to
a lot that is owned by
the mortgagor and
titled as real
property; or
``(BB) a
manufactured home and a
lot to which the home
will be permanently
affixed that is titled
as real property.
``(ii) No down payment.--Notwithstanding
any provision to the contrary in the matter
following subsection (b)(2)(B) with respect to
first-time homebuyers--
``(I) the Secretary may insure any
mortgage that involves an original
principal obligation (including
allowable charges and fees and the
premium pursuant to subparagraph (B) of
this paragraph) in an amount not to
exceed 100 percent of the appraised
value of the property involved; and
``(II) the mortgagor of a mortgage
described in subclause (I) shall not be
required to pay any amount, in cash or
its equivalent, on account of the
property.
``(B) Mortgage insurance premium.--
``(i) Up-front premium.--The Secretary
shall establish and collect an insurance
premium in connection with mortgages insured
under this subsection that is a percentage of
the original insured principal obligation of
the mortgage amount, which shall be collected
at the time and in the manner provided under
subsection (c)(2)(A), except that the premiums
collected under this subparagraph--
``(I) may be in an amount that
exceeds 3 percent of the amount of the
original insured principal obligation
of the mortgage; and
``(II) may be adjusted by the
Secretary from time to time by
increasing or decreasing such
percentages as the Secretary considers
necessary, based on the performance of
mortgages insured under this subsection
and market conditions.
``(ii) Prohibition of monthly premiums.--A
mortgage insured under this subsection shall
not be subject to a monthly insurance premium,
including a premium under subsection (c)(2)(B).
``(4) Eligible mortgagors.--The mortgagor for a mortgage
insured under this subsection shall, at the time the mortgage
is executed--
``(A) be a first-time homebuyer;
``(B) have completed a program of housing
counseling provided through a housing counseling agency
approved by the Secretary;
``(C) as attested by the mortgagor--
``(i) be employed as a first responder;
``(ii) have been--
``(I) employed as a first responder
for not less than 4 of the 5 years
preceding the date on which the
mortgagor submitted an application to
insure the mortgage under this section;
or
``(II) released from employment as
a first responder due to an occupation-
connected disability resulting from
such duty or employment;
``(iii) be in good standing as a first
responder and not on probation or under
investigation for conduct that, if determined
to have occurred, is grounds for termination of
employment;
``(iv) in good faith intend to continue as
a first responder for not less than 1 year
following the date of closing on the mortgage;
and
``(v) have previously never been the
mortgagor under a mortgage insured under this
subsection;
``(D) meet such requirements as the Secretary shall
establish to ensure that insurance of the mortgage
represents an acceptable risk to the Mutual Mortgage
Insurance Fund; and
``(E) meet such underwriting requirements as the
Secretary shall establish to meet actuarial objectives
identified by the Secretary, which may include avoiding
a positive subsidy rate or complying with the capital
ratio requirement under section 205(f)(2).
``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated to carry out the program under this
subsection--
``(A) $660,000 for fiscal year 2026, to remain
available until expended; and
``(B) $160,000 for each of fiscal years 2027
through 2032, to remain available until expended.
``(6) Reauthorization required.--The authority to enter
into new commitments to insure mortgages under this subsection
shall expire on the date that is 5 years after the date on
which the Secretary first makes available insurance for
mortgages under this subsection.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
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