COVID-19 reverification of employment and appraisals for FHA Single Family loans

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The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development temporarily changed re-verification of employment and appraisal rules for FHA Single Family programs.  Until May 17, 2020 mortgagees do not need to re-verify employment within 10 days of the Note or within 10 days of loan disbursement if there is no loss of employment by the borrower.

Appraisers may do Exterior-only (viewing from the street) or Desktop-Only (relying on various documents and not viewing the property) appraisals for FHA Single Family loans.

There changes also apply to refinances and reverse mortgages.  (Mortgagee Letter 2020-05, March 27, 2020.)

COVID-19 foreclosure and eviction moratorium for Sections 184 and 184A loans

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The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development has authorized a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions for loans guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program and Section 184A Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Program for 60 days.

Properties secured by Section 184 or 184A guaranteed loans are subject to a moratorium on initiation of foreclosures and foreclosures in process for 60 days.  Eviction of people from properties previously secured by Section 184 or 184A guaranteed loans are suspended for 60 days.  (DLL -2020-04, March 20, 2020.)

COVID-19 suspension of foreclosures and evictions for Fannie Mae and Freddic Mac

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The Federal Housing Finance Agency has directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to suspend foreclosures for 60 days because of COVID-19.  This suspension applies to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac backed single family mortgages.

Previously the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would provide payment forbearance for borrowers impacted by COVID-19 for 12 months.  (News Release, March 18, 2020.)

COVID-19 waivers of adult and senior care program licenses

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The California Department of Social Sercices (CDSS) has issued a statewide waiver of certain adult and senior care program licensee requirements.

Facilities must limit entry only to individuals who need entry for prevention, containment, and mitigation measures.  A facility may also limit a person in care’s right to associate with other persons in care, as necessary for containment and mitigation only, not for prevention.  Facilities must make arrangements for alternate means of communication for visitors such as phone calls, video calls, and online communications.

Facilities may waive buildings and grounds requirements related to capacity or bedroom sharing as necessary for prevention, containment, and mitigation measures, as long as the health and safety of persons in care is not compromised, as needed to isolate or quarantine a person in care who is exhibiting symptoms of a respiratory virus, or who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Facilities may waive personnel staffing ratios as necessary for prevention, containment, and mitigation measures as long as the licensee is able to meet the health and safety needs of each person in care.

New staff at a licensed facility may start caring for persons in care immediately upon submission of a request to transfer a current CDSS criminal record clearance or exemption.

New staff at a licensed facility can begin caring for children upon submission of a criminal record clearance from a state or local government agency.  Within 5 days of starting work, the new staff must LiveScan.

New staff may start working immediately if they submit proof of TB clearance within the last year.  New staff must arrange to obtain current TB clearance.

New staff may start work as soon as they provide proof of completion of first aid training.  New staff shall be trained on specific tasks they will be performing and may not be unsupervised while children are present.  Initial training requirements must be met within 30 days of starting employment.

The age requirement for caregivers may be waived to allow minors age 17 to begin caregiving.

Current department-approved vendors can livestream approved courses that would otherwise be held in-person.

The waiver will expire at the end of the Governor’s emergency declaration.  (PIN 20-008-ASC, March 18, 2020.)

COVID-19 child care facility waivers

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The California Department of Education (CDE) has issued an emergency waiver for operation of temporary employer sponsored child care.  An employer that needs to immediately provide temporary employer sponsored child care may do so under the waiver if all terms of the waiver are met including that the employer contact their child care regional office for approval, that care be available only for children of the employer and officers, managers and employees of the employer, and the child care setting have age appropriate equipment.

CDSS has also waived child care facility and TrustLine provider requirements.  A family child care home, day care center, school-age center or infant care center may waive staff to children ratios as long as health and safety of children is not compromised.  The ratio of child to staff in a family child care home shall be no more than 10:1.

A child care facility, not including a large family child care home, may waive capacity requirements if there is an immediate need for child care in the facility’s area because of school closures as a result of COVID-19, as long as staffing remains sufficient to meet the health and safety needs of children in care.  Capacity for small child care homes shall not exceed 14 children.

A TrustLine provider may care for children of more than one family at a time as long as the provider is able to meet the needs of children in care and capacity does not exceed a ratio of children to provider of 10:1.

New staff at a licensed facility, or a new TrustLine provider, may start caring for children immediately upon submission of a request to transfer a current CDSS criminal record clearance or exemption, and child abuse clearance.

New staff at a licensed facility can begin caring for children upon submission of a criminal record clearance and child abuse clearance from a school district, state or local government agency.  Within 5 days of starting work, the new staff must LiveScan.

New staff may start working immediately if they submit proof of TB clearance within the last year.  New staff must arrange to obtain current TB clearance.

New staff may start work as soon as they provide proof of completion of first aid training.  New staff shall be trained on specific tasks they will be performing and may not be unsupervised while children are present.  Initial training requirements must be met within 30 days of starting employment.

Application fees for TrustLine registration are waived.

These waivers shall remain in effect until the end of the Governor’s Proclamation of State of Emergency.  (PIN 20-004-CCP, March 16, 2020.)