First-of-its-kind solution provides built-in safety net for homeowners and a new retention tool for employers.

American Pledge Foundation (AmPledge) today unveiled an innovative new housing sustainability solution designed to help people achieve homeownership and sustain it. Anchored by a newly approved U.S. mortgage-related utility patent, one of only five granted in the past decade, the program marks a rare advancement in expanding access to housing and ensuring long-term stability for homeowners.

“Affordable to buy does not mean sustainable to own,” said Rob Henger, AmPledge Co-Founder. “Too many people deplete their savings just to close on a home. If life happens in those first few years, one setback can spiral into foreclosure. AmPledge changes that by helping them open the front door to homeownership, and keep their keys for good.”

How It Works

AmPledge’s patent-approved system has been operationalized into a proprietary software platform and program. Together, they establish a safety-net fund equal to 5% of a home’s value for the first five years, and track hardship requests, available escrowed funds, and disbursements. If a homeowner faces a hardship like job loss, medical crisis, divorce, or major repair, the system verifies eligibility, pays the mortgage directly to the lender, and connects them with local resources for additional support. Equally important, the program includes pre-purchase and ongoing education to ensure homeowners have the knowledge and tools to sustain long-term ownership.

This is the first time hardship assistance has been automated at scale, providing a technology-driven solution to a decades-old problem.

Housing Benefits: The Next 401(k)

AmPledge’s innovation supports homeowners and also creates a new category of employee benefits. Companies can co-sponsor down payment and hardship assistance, giving their people the tools to achieve and sustain homeownership. Much like 401(k) retirement plans transformed the workplace decades ago, employer-sponsored housing benefits are poised to become the next major driver of loyalty and retention.

“Just as 401(k)s redefined retirement, housing benefits will redefine retention,” said Robert Irick, AmPledge Co-Founder. “Employers who help their people achieve and sustain homeownership will see stronger loyalty, productivity, and stability in their workforce.”

Why It Matters

Homeownership has always been the foundation of financial stability and a primary driver of generational wealth. Yet for many homeowners, the first five years after purchase are the most precarious. One financial setback can erase savings, trigger foreclosure, and destabilize communities.

For homeowners, AmPledge provides a safety net that reduces risk. For lenders, it lowers default rates by paying mortgages directly during hardship, strengthening confidence in CRA lending. For employers, it represents a powerful new benefit that meets employees’ most pressing financial goal while boosting retention and productivity. And for investors, it delivers a scalable, patent-backed model that combines growth potential with measurable social impact.

“Homeownership should not be a privilege for the few; it should be the foundation that lets every person build stability, dignity, and a future,” said Henger.

American Pledge Foundation is actively engaging with employers, lenders, investors, and policymakers to scale its model nationally. For more information, visit www.ampledge.org.

About AmPledge

American Pledge Foundation is a financial technology nonprofit dedicated to sustainable homeownership. Founded in the wake of the 2008 foreclosure crisis, AmPledge fills a critical market gap by helping people not only buy homes, but stay in them. Its patent-protected system delivers the first automated hardship safety net for homeowners, integrates education to support sustainability, and enables employers to offer housing as a workforce benefit.

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Too many people deplete their savings just to close on a home. If life happens in those first few years, one setback can spiral into foreclosure. AmPledge changes that by helping them open the front door to homeownership, and keep their keys for good.