Feds announce MD housing aid for Sandy

  Federal housing officials say financial aid is on the way for Marylanders forced from their homes by Hurricane Sandy.

 

   Disaster declarations were issued last week for 18 of Maryland's 23 counties. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said Monday that the declaration allows his department to offer foreclosure relief and other assistance to families in those counties.

 

   Those measures include a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures on mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. State and local governments are also being offered federally guaranteed loans for home repairs, economic development and public infrastructure work.  

 

   Housing officials say state and local governments are being allowed to re-allocate federal resources toward disaster relief, including housing and services for disaster victims.