Virginia Legal Aid Society (VLAS) is reaching out to low and moderate income homeowners who are having difficulty keeping up with their mortgage payments. Dec. 30 is the deadline to apply for federal Making Home Affordable programs, including HAMP. This program ends in 2016, and the Dec. 30 deadline is the last chance to apply for this important program.

HAMP is the cornerstone of the Making Home Affordable program launched by the federal government in 2009. HAMP lowers monthly mortgage payments for eligible homeowners to a more affordable and sustainable monthly payment for the long-term and helps people stay in their homes.

Housing Improvement and Preservation is one of the core programs run by VLAS, a nonprofit law firm that provides legal information, advice and representation in civil cases to underprivileged individuals and families in Southside, as well as the Western Tidewater and Central Virginia regions. To contact VLAS, call 866-534-5243 (866-LEGL-AID), 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.

Homeowners can find a HUD counselor at www.consumerfinance.gov/find-a-housing-counselor/.