Department of Veterans
Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program
New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Emergency
01/16/2024
11/16/2023
Requested
Previously Approved
6 Months From Approved
41,988
0
68,231
0
0
0
The Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) is initiating an expanded program using existing Refund
provisions under 38 U.S.C. § 3732 and 38 C.F.R. 36.4320, Refunding
of Loans in Default. This option will assist Veterans with
VA-guaranteed loans who have defaulted on their mortgage loan and
are facing foreclosure. Under this program, VA will exercise its
statutory option to purchase the loan from the servicer and VA will
hold the loan in VA’s own loan portfolio.
The COVID-19 Veterans
Assistance Partial Claim Payment (VAPCP) program and COVID-19
Refund Modification were introduced as emergency measures to assist
Veterans financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic retaining
their VA-guaranteed home loans. Both programs were temporary
solutions to address the financial pressures of the National
Emergency. The VAPCP program sunset October 28, 2022. The COVID-19
Refund Modification is scheduled to sunset December 31, 2023. At
the end of the pandemic, interest rates began to dramatically
increase creating a rising rate environment. The rising rate
environment combined with the residual impact of the pandemic has
left traditional loss mitigation options insufficient to meet the
need of affordable home retention options. The Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA) is initiating a permanent program for
borrowers and VA-guaranteed loans that are facing foreclosure, and
do not qualify for a traditional loss mitigation option called VA
Servicing Purchase (VASP).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.