SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) -- The HELPER Act would establish a new home loan program administered by the Federal Housing Administration to help public safety officers, first responders and teachers purchase homes. Senator Jon Ossoff told WSAV that he and his fellow lawmakers modeled this proposal after the program that helps veterans purchase their homes. The goal here is to make sure teachers and first responders can afford to live where they work. "Firefighters shouldn't have to drive an hour and a half to get to the firehouse. A teacher should be able to live near a school where they work," Ossoff said. "The cost of housing is a national crisis." Specifically, the bill would: create a one-time use home loan program under the FHA for law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMT), paramedics, and pre-K-12 teachers eliminate the down payment requirement eliminate the monthly mortgage insurance premium (MIP) requirement require a 3.6 percent upfront mortgage insurance (UFMI) premium to ensure the solvency of the program requires the program to be reauthorized after five years. "This program will help those public servants who aren't in it for the money and too often can't afford their first home to buy their first home," Ossoff said. "We want to attract the best and the brightest to educate our children, to protect our communities, and to help us in emergencies or health crises." The bill has to pass the House and the Senate before it lands on President Donald Trump's desk. ...read more read less