With the ongoing challenges facing our nation's housing market, Congresswoman Capito is particularly concerned about how these challenges are impacting West Virginians. Though the Mountain State has one of the nation's highest rates of homeownership and a long history of residents who pay their debts, West Virginia is not immune to the obstacles facing the nation's real estate market.

While the Congresswoman cannot directly engage in negotiations between homeowners and mortgage lenders, she and her staff can help to connect homeowners facing foreclosure with available programs that may be able to provide some relief.

The West Virginia Housing Development Fund can be an important resource for Mountain State homeowners.  Programs affiliated with the Federal Housing Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have also been specifically designed to assist struggling homeowners. Some of those programs include FHASecure and the Hope for Homeowners Program.

Homeowners struggling to make their loan payments may also want to visit HUD's "Guide for Avoiding Foreclosure," or Hope Now, an alliance between HUD-approved counseling agents, servicers, investors and other mortgage market participants that provide free foreclosure prevention assistance.

Congresswoman Capito has sought legislative reforms to the Federal Housing Administration, and improved oversight of government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to enable these organizations to better assist homeowners.

She recently introduced HR 1331, the Responsible, Equitable and Fair Insurance for Homeowners Act of 2009.  Also known as the REFI for Homeowners Act, her legislation calls on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide a more effective replacement to the Hope for Homeowners Program, an initiative that has had mixed results in helping struggling homeowners refinance.