ARRA: Sacramento District reaches $100 million in HAP payments

By U.S. ArmyJuly 6, 2010

Sacramento District reaches 100 million mark under HAP
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District has paid over $100 million to servicemembers under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-expanded Homeowners Assistance Program. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 increased fu... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District's real estate division has passed the $100 million milestone in payments to servicemembers under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-expanded Homeowners Assistance Program.

Just over $107 million had been paid to 702 applicants as of July 2, said Ty Chamberlain, real estate section chief for the Sacramento District. The real estate division oversees HAP for the Sacramento District.

"It's a good milestone," Chamberlain said. The program had a forecasted budget of $125 million for the fiscal year, running from October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010, he said.

"We anticipate reaching that amount before the end of this month (July)," he added. "We're going to be over budget, but in a good way."

An additional $80 million has already been requested, and Chamberlain anticipates reaching $200 million before year's end. There are still an additional 1,500-plus applications going through the real estate division, with a current workload of 600 applications being worked on by the real estate division at any one time.

"That's the intent of ARRA, to put money back into the economy," Chamberlain said. "We're definitely doing the intent of Congress and the President in getting that done in a timely manner."

HAP is a Department of Defense (DOD) program approved by Congress in 1966, originally aimed at providing aid to military families and civilian personnel affected by Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). ARRA, Public Law 111-5, expanded HAP to provide assistance to wounded service members or DOD civilians reassigned due to medical or rehabilitation purposes or retirement due to their disability, surviving spouses of the fallen, BRAC 2005 impacted homeowners, and servicemembers undergoing a permanent change of station during the mortgage crisis.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates the program on behalf of the military branches, with the Sacramento District responsible for the western half of the U.S. A total of 10 states are covered by the Sacramento District, as well as American military installations in the Pacific region. The Sacramento District was the first of three Corps districts responsible for processing HAP claims to issue a check and the first to issue a check to a surviving spouse.

Related Links:

USACE News at Army.mil

USACE Sacramento District

HQ US Army Corps of Engineers

USACE Recovery Act