More Than $277 Million Awarded to Florida Families
The Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund Program is no longer accepting applications due to the volume of registrations received so far. A total of $277 million has been distributed to over 9,900 homeowners, which makes this program a leader in distributing HAF funds in the US. The Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which administers the Florida HAF program, released an official statement that funds are almost exhausted.
Adam Callaway, the DEO’s deputy secretary of strategic business development told News 6: “We haven’t run out of funds yet. We anticipate we will run up against our funding cap, so we have to be careful.”
“As we continue to lead the nation, our outreach efforts for HAF in Florida communities have been a tremendous success, and we are now able to close registration for the program ahead of schedule, as we have enough applicants to cover available funding,” said DEO Secretary Dane Eagle. “DEO remains committed to expediting relief, and we will continue to prioritize Florida’s most vulnerable homeowners, based on federal guidance, to keep Floridians in their homes. I encourage those who have already been invited to apply to complete and submit their applications as soon as possible, so they can be eligible for awards before funding is exhausted.”
As we previously reported, the State of Florida received a total of $676,102,379.00 under Section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The purpose of this program, as well as all Homeowner Assistance Fund programs, is to help homeowners facing financial hardship after January 21, 2020, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Funds up to $50,000.00 can be used to cover delinquent mortgage payments, property taxes, utility bills, and homeowner and condominium association fees. These payments are not given directly to homeowners, but to their mortgage servicers, utility providers, or other appropriate entity.
Eight Customer Assistance Centers provided assistance to eligible applicants to help with their applications and necessary documents. However, there are certain eligibility requirements that must be met by both the applicant and the property to be eligible for these funds. The applicant’s income must be at or below 150% of the Area Median Income or 100% of the US median income. The property for which they are requesting must be their primary residence (secondary homes and vacation homes are not allowed), and it must be located in Florida’s territory.
For more information on the Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund Program, call the Homeowner Assistance Fund Customer Assistance Center (833-987-8997). If you live outside of Florida, do your research on the HAF program available in your State. Most of them are still active and accepting applications.
