Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund Wraps Up Applications on June 30

The Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund (NHAF), an initiative launched in February 2022, is geared towards preventing foreclosures, mortgage delinquencies, defaults, and displacement among Nebraska homeowners. However, as of June 30, 2023, the application portal for this program will no longer be accepting new applications. After this date, homeowners who seek to apply will be redirected to an online waitlist.

To date, Nebraska has allocated over $30 million to the NHAF, with funds provided by the U.S. Treasury. The program is designed to support homeowners who have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, offering relief up to $40,000 per household for financial hardships that started or persisted after January 21, 2020.

Shannon Harner, the Executive Director of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA), expressed the organization’s goal of assisting as many affected homeowners as possible until the available NHAF funds are exhausted. The program has already aided 2,568 homeowners in retaining their residences, with nearly 49% of the beneficiaries classified as socially disadvantaged.

Homeowners who visit the application portal after the June 30 deadline will be directed to an online waitlist. Here, they will need to provide their contact information, answer pre-qualification queries, and specify the type of assistance they require. Applications completed before the June 30 cutoff will be given priority, followed by waitlisted applications from those facing active foreclosures, and finally by waitlisted applications according to the date of receipt.

If additional funds become available post-June 30, those on the waitlist will be contacted and provided with a secure login to the NHAF portal to finalize their application for homeowner assistance. However, since all applications submitted before June 30 will be processed first, it’s challenging to predict when and how many waitlisted applicants will be invited to complete the full application procedure. Waitlisted applicants who need immediate assistance are advised to consult with a HUD-certified housing counselor.

To be eligible for NHAF assistance, the household income must be equal to or less than the Area Median Income for the county of residence. Additionally, at least one household member must have suffered financial difficulties due to the pandemic post-January 21, 2020. Assistance is strictly limited to the homeowner’s primary residence.

Nebraskans are encouraged to apply online through NebraskaHAF.com until the June 30 deadline. An online waitlist will be made available after this date. For additional support, a call center operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (CDT) at 1-844-565-7146.