Category: Housing

The NYS Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) is a federally funded program to help support homeowners who experienced financial hardship (loss of income or increased living expenses) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  HAF assistance is customized to the applicant’s individual situation and may involve free housing counseling, legal services, negotiations with a mortgage servicer, and possibly even financial assistance to cover past and future housing related payments, including water and sewage charges.

Applications are now being accepted for this $539 million fund for eligible homeowners at risk of default, foreclosure, or displacement.

Are you a homeowner who is:

• Behind or in forbearance on your mortgage?
• In default on a reverse mortgage?
• Behind on your property taxes, water, or sewage bills?
• Behind on monthly maintenance charges for your co-op or condo?
• Behind on chattel loans, retail installment contracts, lot rent, and/or other types of home purchase loans?

You may be eligible for HAF assistance, and WE CAN HELP!  For more information about the fund, help in determining eligibility, and/or assistance in completing an application, call us at 716-712-2060.  We will schedule you for a telephone appointment with a knowledgeable, certified housing counselor to assess your situation and assist you in the process.

NYS HAF expects to receive significantly more applications than can be funded by the program, and applications will be processed in the order they were received – so don’t wait, call us today!  (Note: Application submission does not guarantee that you will receive financial assistance.)

Resources:

NYS HAF Frequently Asked Questions – https://www.nyhomeownerfund.org/faqs

NYS HAF Call Center, Monday-Saturday 7am to 8pm EST, with application support and translation in English and 10 additional languages – 1-844-776-9423

Start HAF Application – https://www.nyhomeownerfund.org/apply-now

Application Guide and Document Checklist – https://www.nyhomeownerfund.org/application-guide

It has been a financial challenging year for many Americans, and with that a lot of effort has been expended trying to keep people in their homes by halting foreclosures and evictions. This is the latest update regarding COVID-19 mortgage relief:

·        If your home was in foreclosure prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a moratorium that keeps the foreclosure process from continuing. Currently there is a foreclosure moratorium on federally guaranteed mortgages through June 30, 2021 meaning homeowners are protected from the initiation or continuation of foreclosure proceedings. These mortgages make up about two-thirds of resident mortgage loans across the nation.

·        If the house you are living in foreclosed before the Pandemic and became a Bank owned property (REO), you cannot be evicted until after June 30, 2021.

·        The mortgage payment forbearance enrollment window was also extended through June 30, 2021. Payment forbearance allows homeowners to pause or reduce their mortgage payments for a certain period of time. Borrowers who enter into forbearance on or before June 30, 2021 will receive up to six months of mortgage payment forbearance.

·        For mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; you may be eligible for an additional three months of forbearance. This could allow up to 18 months of forbearance time in total. To qualify for the extension, you must have been in a forbearance as of February 28, 2021. Other limits may apply. The COVID-19 Payment Deferral allows borrowers to repay the missed payments at the time the house is sold, refinanced, or the when the loan matures.

 What to do if you are having difficulty managing your mortgage?  

Continue to communicate with your lender and check your Lender/Servicer’s website for updates and information. Most sites contain content explaining options if you are struggling with mortgage payments at this time. If you still have questions or concerns, Schedule a counseling session with CCCS of Buffalo or your local HUD-Certified Housing Counselor to help you navigate during this difficult time. 

For up-to-date information visit: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-and-housing-assistance/