Obama Administration Expands Mortgage Assistance Program

The Obama administration announced Monday that it will try and expand HARP, the  Home Affordable Refinance Program, to  reach to at least one million more people. HARP was introduced in 2009 to help underwater borrowers refinance their mortgages. At the time the administration predicted HARP would help millions of homeowners. But after two and a half years, less than 900,000 homeowners have refinanced under HARP. New changes to HARP will make it possible for homeowners whose mortgages are severely underwater to participate. Chris Mayer, senior vice dean of Columbia Business School and professor of real estate, discusses how these changes will be felt by homeowners.
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