During a Homeowner's Assistance Program meeting June 24 at Darling Hall, service members learned they have help to offset possible losses in the sale of a home.

In the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $555 million has been earmarked to help service members forced to sell their homes at a loss through no fault of their own.

One person who knows the dilemma many service members face is Maj. Burchell Porter.

He owns a home that has dramatically decreased in value. Because of his orders, he must sell the home but is faced with doing so at a substantial loss to his Family.

"I came here to find out about this program, to see if it will help me forego some of the losses," said Porter, who attended a meeting at Darling Hall about the Homeowners' Assistance Program. Porter has a home in Florida and is at Fort Gordon without his Family for eight months while he attends school.

HAP was originally created to help people whose home values were negatively impacted by Base Realignment and Closure; however, in light of the current housing climate, the program was expanded by Congress earlier this year.

According to Bart Wivell, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District realty specialist, and according to the HAP website, the policy guidelines for HAP cannot be published elsewhere until they are first published in the Federal Register. Applications cannot be approved until after that time either, but Wivell suggested to those at the meeting to get their applications in anyway.

"We already have 1,800 applications submitted in the Savannah District," he said.

Through HAP, military homeowners can receive benefits in four ways - reimbursement for part of the loss from the sale of a home, assist in paying off a mortgage after the sale of the home at a loss, by purchasing a home to pay off the mortgage or helping if the home is in default.

In addition to the Department of Defense Form 1607 required to apply for HAP, there are several items, which are required to be turned in, such as Orders To and Orders Out, a deed, proof of occupancy such as an electric bill, a copy of a bill of lading and financial documents such as copy of all mortgage notes and refinanced mortgages.

Depending on the circumstances information such as proof of attempt to sell, right of entry or private sale may be needed.

The June 24 meeting was mainly a question and answer session.

Command Sgt. Maj. Gerald Tyce of the 369th Signal Battalion was on a fact-finding mission. "I want to pass this to my Soldiers," he said.

To learn more about the HAP, you can visit http:// hap.usace.army.mil or call the Savannah District of the Army Corps of Engineers at (800) 861-8144.