Rate-freeze plan doesn't fix systemic problems

WASHINGTON -- How timely that just as President Bush was announcing a deal to help homeowners struggling with their mortgage payments, new data were released showing that foreclosure starts set a new record.

In a news conference Thursday, Bush trumpeted a private-sector plan that would help struggling subprime borrowers by freezing their current teaser interest rates for five years.

On the same day, the Mortgage Bankers Association released its latest National Delinquency Survey showing that the total delinquency rate hit its highest level since 1986. The rate of foreclosure starts and the percentage of loans in the process of foreclosure are at their highest levels ever.

It is important to note that the MBA said the increase in foreclosure starts was due to troubled loans of all types, not just in the subprime area, which is the group of borrowers primarily being helped in the administration-backed initiative called the Hope Now Alliance.

The alliance, a coalition of nonprofits, lenders and investors, represents servicers who cover 84 percent of outstanding subprime mortgages, according to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Under this initiative, up to 1.2 million subprime adjustable-rate mortgage borrowers will be eligible for fast-track help to avoid foreclosure.

Bush said the relief for borrowers will come in one of three ways: by refinancing an existing loan into a new private mortgage, by moving them into an FHA Secure loan, or by freezing their current interest rate for five years.

Bush urged people to call the Hope Now hotline at (888) 995-HOPE. Counselors are available 24 hours a day to provide advice.

While I'm glad some homeowners are getting interest rate relief, this plan doesn't help enough people and doesn't address the systemic problems that led to this mess. The fact is, too many people are in homes they can't afford today, tomorrow or probably five years from now.

The bad lending practices that prompted people to buy homes they could ill afford won't go away by helping the worst-case situations.

Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, pointed out that the Hope Now plan excludes borrowers who are not current on their payments, immediately disqualifying 22 percent of subprime loan holders from receiving relief.

When asked what happens after the five-year rate freeze is over and people's interest rates significantly jump, Paulson said, "This plan is not a silver bullet."

Paulson talked about the importance of preventing foreclosures now but finally concluded, "Under the worst conditions you would be … going through a modification or a refinancing program. But we'll have five years to deal with it."

And there you have it, folks. That's been the problem all along.

We are in this predicament because homeowners were told not to worry about their ridiculously low interest rates because they could refinance later before the rates reset. Or they were delusional in thinking their incomes could afford rate hikes in the future if they couldn't refinance.

Don't worry. Be happy.

Well, people aren't happy now. There's not much hope for a lot of people. Declining home values are preventing homeowners from refinancing. Incomes didn't go up enough to support higher mortgage payments.

I guess it's appropriate that this whole initiative is called Hope Now. That's because the administration and the mortgage industry are still hoping things will get better.

But hope alone and a fix for just a fraction of the folks now facing foreclosure aren't good enough.

© 2007, The Washington Post Co.