Congress·In Committee·H.R. 2094

Congress Proposes FHA-Backed No-Down-Payment Mortgages for First Responders and Teachers

HELPER Act of 2025

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Creates a new FHA-backed mortgage insurance program for first-time homebuyers who are first responders, including police, firefighters, EMTs/paramedics, and full-time pre-K–12 teachers.
Lets eligible buyers finance up to 100% of a home’s appraised value, meaning no cash down payment is required if they qualify.
Changes the FHA fee setup for this program: an up-front insurance premium can be charged, but there would be no monthly mortgage insurance premium.
Sets eligibility rules: housing counseling is required, the person must have recent first responder work history (or a duty-related disability), and must plan to stay in the job at least 1 year after closing.
Provides federal funding to run the program and ends the ability to start new insured loans 5 years after the program first becomes available unless Congress extends it.

HousingLabor Employment

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(1)

Housing Assistance

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Mar 14, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Mar 14, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill becomes law; likely months later

HUD designs the new FHA insurance option and publishes the rules lenders must follow

First responders won’t be able to use the $0-down, no-monthly-insurance feature until HUD sets the details (paperwork, lender rules, credit standards, premium percent, and counseling process)

After program rules are issued

HUD starts accepting lender applications to participate as an approved mortgage provider for this program

You may only be able to use the program at lenders that sign up; availability could be limited at first in some areas

Once HUD makes the insurance available

Eligible first responders can begin applying for these FHA-insured mortgages

Qualified buyers could purchase (or repair) a primary home with no down payment and no monthly FHA insurance, but still must pay the up-front premium and meet HUD underwriting rules

Starts on the first day HUD makes insurance available

Program authority to insure new mortgages begins its 5-year countdown from the first day insurance is made available

This is the clock that determines when new commitments must stop unless Congress extends the program; buyers near the end may feel pressure to close before the cutoff

Five years after HUD first makes insurance available

Without reauthorization, HUD must stop entering into new commitments after 5 years

If Congress doesn’t renew the authority, new applicants would lose access to this specific $0-down, no-monthly-insurance FHA option (existing mortgages would still exist)