HELOC is not just another credit card !

HELOC is a floating rate second mortgage.  If you don't pay your mortgage, the banks will take your house.  The same can't be said about credit cards.  The problem here is overall his debt/income ratio based on his mortgage and HELOC even though the HELOC is not being used.   One thing that the borrower can do is to lower the HELOC amount without closing it.  It might help the ratio.