KINGSTON, Jamaica — In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s destructive path across Jamaica last year, the National Housing Trust (NHT) rolled out a six-month emergency mortgage relief program to give storm-battered homeowners breathing room to rebuild. That temporary initiative is now scheduled to wrap up formally on April 30, with regular monthly payments set to resume starting May 1, the state housing agency has announced. But officials have stressed that support will remain accessible for borrowers whose properties are still grappling with major storm damage.\n\nSpeaking on behalf of the NHT, Dr. Suzanne Wynter, the organization’s General Manager for Loan Management, outlined that the relief program will not close the door on support for those still in crisis. Homeowners whose properties remain uninhabitable or have sustained catastrophic damage that has not yet been repaired may qualify for an extra three-month freeze on their required mortgage payments. For borrowers in the worst-hit planned communities — including Brompton in the parish of St. Elizabeth and Union Acres in St. James — the three-month extension will be added to customer accounts automatically, with no additional action required from eligible mortgagors.\n\nFor homeowners outside these designated hard-hit areas who believe they meet the eligibility criteria for an extended moratorium, the NHT requires a short application submitted through the agency’s official public website. Dr. Wynter emphasized that applicants should submit their requests as early as possible, ideally before the original moratorium expires on May 1, to avoid the risk of their accounts being marked as overdue after the deadline passes. The NHT has set a final application cutoff date of June 30, 2026, giving eligible borrowers ample time to complete and submit their materials.\n\nDr. Wynter also clarified key financial details of the relief program that borrowers should prepare for ahead of the May 1 resumption of payments. While all interest charges were fully waived during the original six-month moratorium period, principal balances and required insurance premiums continued to accumulate over the freeze period. These accrued unpaid amounts will be added to borrowers’ total outstanding loan balances, which will then be recalculated across the remaining term of the mortgage. As a result, many homeowners can expect to see a modest increase in their monthly payment amounts once the new repayment schedule takes effect.\n\nThe NHT will mail formal notifications to all mortgagors in May that outline the revised payment terms and updated monthly amounts, Wynter confirmed. Until those official notices are delivered and new figures are finalized, the agency encourages borrowers to continue making payments equal to their pre-moratorium monthly amount to avoid falling behind unexpectedly.\n\nFor borrowers who continue to face financial hardship following the storm but do not meet the eligibility requirements for the extended hurricane-specific moratorium, the NHT has urged them to explore support through the agency’s existing Special Assistance Programme. This long-standing initiative offers a flexible menu of relief options tailored to individual circumstances, including temporary payment freezes, reduced mortgage interest rates, extended overall loan terms to lower monthly costs, and structured partial payment plans. Dr. Wynter urged any homeowner who anticipates struggling to resume their regular mortgage payments to reach out to the NHT proactively at the earliest opportunity.\n\n“It is important that customers assess their ability to resume payments and, where necessary, engage the NHT as soon as possible so that we can provide the appropriate support,” she said.\n\nLaunched immediately in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, the original six-month relief moratorium provided payment relief to more than 30,000 NHT mortgagors across the island. The program was designed to let displaced and damaged homeowners focus their limited financial resources on urgent home repairs and recovery efforts, rather than prioritizing immediate mortgage obligations during a period of crisis.