Received an Act 91 notice?
Act within 33 days.

An Act 91 notice means your mortgage is seriously past due and that help may be available through Pennsylvania’s Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, known as HEMAP. If you have received one, contact myWaypoint right away.

State law gives you 33 days from the date on the notice to meet with a designated counseling agency, and the sooner you call, the more options stay open. Our certified HEMAP counselors guide you at no cost, help with the paperwork, and can even appear in court with you.

myWaypoint, formerly the Credit Counseling Center, has submitted more than 20,000 HEMAP applications since 1994 and maintains one of the highest HEMAP approval rates in the region.

What Act 91 and HEMAP are

HEMAP, the Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, helps Pennsylvania homeowners who are facing financial hardship and foreclosure get back on their feet. Through the program, eligible homeowners can receive a loan that brings past-due payments current, may receive payment assistance for up to 24 months, and have mortgage payments made directly to the lender on their behalf. HEMAP is a loan, not a grant, so the funds are repaid over time, and a HEMAP loan cannot exceed $60,000.

Who is eligible

To qualify for HEMAP through an Act 91 referral, you generally must

Have received an Act 91 notice and be at least 60 days delinquent on your mortgage.

Own and occupy the property, which must be a one- or two-family residence located in Pennsylvania.

Have had a favorable mortgage credit history in the five years before the delinquency.

Be facing financial hardship beyond your control, such as job loss, serious illness, or divorce.

Have a reasonable prospect of resuming full mortgage payments within 24 months and paying the loan in full by maturity.

Deadline: you must meet with a designated counseling agency within 33 days of the date on your Act 91 notice.

Good to know: a HEMAP loan cannot exceed $60,000, must hold at least a third lien position, and homes or mortgages used primarily for business, as well as FHA Title II loans, are not eligible. A counselor will confirm whether you qualify.

How myWaypoint helps

Our HUD-certified, HEMAP-trained counselors prepare your application and submit the initial paperwork to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). As long as the program’s time limits are met, foreclosure action pauses while your application is under review. The program is funded by state appropriations and loan repayments, and our counseling is free.

What to do the day you receive a notice

Read the notice carefully, noting the date, the amount owed, and every deadline.

Gather your financial documents: recent pay stubs, bank statements, tax returns, and any mortgage correspondence.

Call myWaypoint at 215-348-8003 so a counselor can guide you through the process and timeline.

What you receive

A private session with a HUD-certified housing and credit counselor.

A full review of your mortgage and financial situation, and help negotiating with your lender.

Preparation and submission of your HEMAP application to PHFA.

Direct advocacy with your lender and servicer, and we can even appear in court with you.

myWaypoint has saved more than 90% of our clients’ homes from foreclosure and delivered over $1.5 million in mortgage hardship assistance to Pennsylvania families.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Act 91 notice?

An Act 91 notice is a formal letter from your mortgage lender telling you that your loan is seriously past due and that help may be available through Pennsylvania’s Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). It starts an important clock. Under state law, you have 33 days from the date on the notice to meet with a designated counseling agency like myWaypoint to begin the assistance process. Contact us as soon as you receive one, because the sooner you act, the more options stay open.

How long do I have to respond to an Act 91 notice?

You have 33 days from the date on your Act 91 notice to meet with a designated counseling agency. myWaypoint’s counselors prepare your HEMAP application and submit the initial paperwork to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. As long as the program’s time limits are met, your lender pauses foreclosure action while your case is under review. Because the deadline is tied to the notice date, not the day you call, it is important to reach out right away.

What does HEMAP assistance cover?

HEMAP can provide a loan that brings your delinquent mortgage payments current, ongoing payment assistance for up to 24 months, and payments made directly to your lender on your behalf. It is designed for Pennsylvania homeowners facing hardship through no fault of their own who can reasonably resume payments once assistance ends. myWaypoint’s counseling to apply for HEMAP is free, and we can share the PHFA HEMAP fact sheet so you know what to expect.

Is there a cost to get help with my Act 91 notice?

No. myWaypoint’s counseling to help you understand your Act 91 notice and apply for HEMAP is free. We are a nonprofit, and our foreclosure-related services are supported by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. You will never be charged for Act 91 or HEMAP counseling, so please do not let cost keep you from reaching out.

What is the difference between an Act 6 notice and an Act 91 notice?

An Act 91 notice is Pennsylvania’s early warning that your mortgage is seriously past due and that HEMAP assistance may be available, and it opens a 33-day window to meet with a counselor. An Act 6 notice is different: it is a 30-day notice of intention to foreclose, also called a Notice of Acceleration, typically sent on FHA or USDA loans as a final chance to prevent foreclosure. myWaypoint helps with both. Counseling can pause the process while we work with your lender on a path forward, so call as soon as you receive either notice.

What happens if I ignore an Act 91 notice?

Ignoring an Act 91 notice can lead to further legal action, including the start of formal foreclosure proceedings, and it puts you at risk of an Act 6 notice, the 30-day notice of intention to foreclose. The safest step is to act quickly: review the notice, gather your documents, and call a certified counselor. The sooner you reach out, the more options remain open, from loan modification to HEMAP assistance, and myWaypoint can help you understand each one.