HUD ANNOUNCES PILOT PROGRAM TO HELP HOMEOWNERS PAY FOR ENERGY IMPROVEMENTS TO THEIR HOMES
New FHA PowerSaver Program to offer low-cost financing to credit-worthy borrowers

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a new pilot program that will offer credit-worthy borrowers low-cost loans to make energy-saving improvements to their homes. Backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), these new FHA PowerSaver loans will offer homeowners up to $25,000 to make energy-efficient improvements of their choice, including the installation of insulation, duct sealing, doors and windows, HVAC systems, water heaters, solar panels, and geothermal systems.

HUD and FHA developed PowerSaver as part of the Recovery Through Retrofit initiative launched in May 2009 by
Vice President Biden’s Middle Class Task Force to develop federal actions that would expand green job opportunities
in the United States and boost energy savings by improving home energy efficiency. The announcement is part of
an 18-month-long interagency effort facilitated by White House Council on Environmental Quality with the Office of the Vice President, 11 departments and agencies and six White House offices.

Vice President Biden said, "The initiatives announced today are putting the Recovery Through Retrofit report’s recommendations into action – giving American families the tools they need to invest in home energy upgrades. Together, these programs will grow the home retrofit industry and help middle class families save money and
energy."

"HUD and FHA are committed to lowering the cost and expanding the availability of affordable financing for home energy retrofits," said Secretary Donovan. "PowerSaver will help more homeowners afford common sense, cost
saving improvements to their homes, and will create jobs for contractors, installers and energy auditors across the country."

More homeowners are interested in making their homes energy efficient, according to industry forecasts. Yet
options are still limited for financing home energy improvements, especially for the many homeowners who are
unable to take out a home equity loan or access an affordable consumer loan. HUD today published a notice seeking the participation of a limited number of mortgage lenders in the two-year pilot program slated to begin in early 2011.

"PowerSaver provides lenders with a new product option to serve a potentially growing market," said David H. Stevens, FHA Commissioner. "We believe there are a number of lenders who will be interested in working with us
to help save energy and money for homeowners, while creating jobs and cutting greenhouse gas emissions."

Lenders will be selected to participate in the PowerSaver pilot based on their capacity and commitment to provide affordable home energy improvement financing. Lenders will be required to serve communities that have already
taken affirmative steps to expand home energy improvements. HUD will help lenders identify such markets – which exist in many suburban, rural and urban areas across the country.

PowerSaver loans will be backed by the FHA – but with significant "skin in the game" from private lenders. FHA mortgage insurance will cover up to 90 percent of the loan amount in the event of default. Lenders will retain
the remaining risk on each loan, incentivizing responsible underwriting and lending standards. FHA will provide
streamlined insurance claims payment procedures on PowerSaver loans. In addition, lenders may be eligible for incentive grant payments from FHA to enhance benefits to borrowers, such as lowering interest rates.

"Home energy retrofits are good investments that save families money," said Ginnie Mae President Ted Tozer.
"As the financing arm of HUD, we are proud to support this important home-improvement segment of the housing market and look forward to working with lenders and FHA to develop appropriate secondary market options."

PowerSaver has been carefully designed to meet a need in the marketplace for borrowers who have the ability and motivation to take on modest additional debt to realize the savings over time from a home energy improvement. PowerSaver loans are only available to borrowers with good credit, manageable overall debt and at least some
equity in their home (maximum 100% combined loan to value).

To read the full text of FHA’s notice, visit HUD's website.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.