Denton mayor seeks Burgess' support for low-cost mortgages for educators, first responders

Denton Record-Chronicle
By Christian McPhate Staff Writer cmcphate@dentonrc.com
December 20, 2022

Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth sent U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Pilot Point, a letter seeking Burgess’ co-sponsorship of a bipartisan bill that will provide first responders and elementary and secondary school teachers with insurance for one-time, low-cost mortgages. Hudspeth’s effort to garner support comes at a time when buying a home is often unaffordable in Denton.

The bipartisan bill, HR 3172, is known as the Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator and Responder (HELPER) Act. It was introduced by U.S. Reps. John H. Rutherford, Al Lawson, Bonnie Watson Coleman and John Katko and created to help many of the nation’s first responders and educators who are now facing financial obstacles when trying to buy a home and unable to find affordable homeownership in the communities that they serve, as pointed out on the HELPER Act of 2021 informative brief.

“If enacted, this legislation would help the first responders afford to live in the community they serve,” Hudspeth wrote in his Dec. 14 letter to Burgess. “Programs such as the HELPER Act are even more important as Denton continues to grow and housing costs increase.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Burgess’ press office could not be reached for comment.

The HELPER Act was modeled after what has been called a successful Veterans Affairs Home Loan Program that offers similar benefits to service members. The new program would remove financial obstacles such as needing a large down payment to buy a home.

According to the HELPER Act informative brief, the program will:

• Create a one-time-use home loan program under the Federal Housing Association for law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and pre-K through 12th-grade teachers.
• Eliminate a down payment requirement and the monthly mortgage insurance premium requirement.
• Require a 3.6% upfront mortgage insurance premium to ensure the solvency of the program.
• Require the program to be reauthorized after five years.

“A home loan program that provides access to affordable homeownership is a benefit our first responders and teachers have earned,” the congressional officials sponsoring the bill wrote in the HELPER ACT informative brief.

But trying to get the bill passed during the end of the lame duck session of Congress is a difficult task, as Hudspeth acknowledged in his Dec. 14 letter to Burgess.

“I recognize that with the end of the 117th Congress just a few weeks away, it may be difficult for Congress to act on this legislation this year,” Hudspeth wrote. “But I hope similar legislation will be introduced in the 118th Congress and you will support it.”