Albany, NY – Legislation introduced by Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages (D-Elmont) and Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan) codifying the New York State Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) (A7636C/S7297C) has passed both houses of the legislature, and now heads to Governor Kathy Hochul’s desk. HOPP has helped hundreds of thousands of families access high-quality services to keep them in their homes. This includes providing legal services during foreclosure proceedings and litigation challenging predatory lending, housing discrimination, and scams. HOPP also funds homeowner retention counseling, loan modification assistance, and loss mitigation assistance.

Through successful advocacy by the legislature, the Homeowner Protection Program was funded in the enacted Fiscal Year 2024-2025 state budget with a $40 million investment, which preserves the program and the services it funds in the short term. With full codification in the law, HOPP would be mandated and the program would be protected from potential future cuts. New York homeowners have increasingly faced foreclosure and delinquency notices have skyrocketed since the pandemic and the subsequent affordability crisis. These services must be available for families who need extra assistance to keep their homes.

“HOPP has been a lifeline for our most vulnerable homeowners,” said Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages. “By codifying the Homeowner Protection Program, we safeguard critical services for generations, giving families the certainty that HOPP will be there to provide the support they need. Having HOPP in place has been indispensable as New Yorkers navigate the affordability crisis. Homeownership provides families a bedrock of security, and we must do all we can to help people stay in their homes. We call on Governor Hochul to sign this legislation into law.”

“For over a decade, HOPP has benefited our communities and helped mitigate the effects of the affordable housing crisis by helping thousands of homeowners avert the loss of generational wealth that results when homes are lost to foreclosure or to scams such as deed theft,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh. “Without State funding, the program would cease to function, leaving cash-strapped homeowners without the legal representation, counseling services, and advice they need when dealing with well-represented banks, mortgage servicers, and scammers. I am proud to have secured $40 million for HOPP in this year’s budget. But funding for this program has been treated as something of an add-on in budget negotiations in recent years. With this legislation, we’re seeking to recognize that this vital program is a core service of the State that needs to be managed and funded just like any other service New Yorkers rely on. I thank Assemblymember Solages for championing this effort in the Assembly, Assembly Housing Chair Linda Rosenthal and all of our colleagues in both houses who have supported HOPP, and the many HOPP Network partners for the invaluable homeownership preservation work that they do.”