Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund Next Phase Announced by DEO Secretary Dane Eagle

Next Phase of the Florida HAF

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) Secretary Dane Eagle announced on March 2, 2022, the launch of the next phase of Florida's Homeowner Assistance Fund program. The announcement opened a statewide registration portal at FLHomeownerAssistance.org, allowing Florida homeowners to begin the first step in determining their eligibility for federally funded mortgage assistance. The portal went live on February 28, 2022.

Program Background

Florida launched its Homeowner Assistance Fund Pilot Program on November 8, 2021, becoming one of only twelve states to proactively run a pilot while waiting for U.S. Treasury approval of their full state plan. The pilot gave DEO an opportunity to refine eligibility checks, verification processes, and payment workflows before scaling to the full program. By the time the next phase launched, DEO reported having provided more than $1 million in assistance to 137 Florida homeowners through the pilot.

Federal Funding Source

The Florida HAF is funded through the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The national HAF allocated $9.961 billion across states, territories, and tribes to support homeowners facing pandemic-related financial hardship. Florida's share came to $676.1 million.

Who Can Qualify

Eligible homeowners included those who experienced a financial hardship that occurred after, or continued after, January 21, 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Other core requirements included Florida residency, use of the home as a primary residence, and household income at or below 150 percent of the area median income (AMI) or 100 percent of the U.S. median income, whichever is greater.

Types of Assistance Available

The Florida HAF could pay a range of housing-related costs to prevent foreclosure and housing loss, including mortgage reinstatement, past-due property taxes, homeowners insurance premiums, flood insurance, homeowner and condo association fees, utility payments, and internet services. Payments are generally made directly to the mortgage servicer or other third-party providers rather than to the homeowner.

How the Registration Worked

Homeowners completed an online pre-application on the HAF portal, which DEO used to screen applicants and invite eligible homeowners to complete full applications. Registration on the portal did not guarantee funding; it was simply the first step. DEO staff and third-party administrators reviewed applications, verified documentation, and processed payments.

Subsequent Expansion

Over the life of the program, DEO expanded eligibility and assistance categories, layered in additional housing counseling services, and worked with servicers to streamline payment acceptance. DEO also highlighted $20 million in housing counseling services announced in December 2022 as a complementary resource for homeowners navigating the HAF.

Closing the Program

Like Homeowner Assistance Funds across the country, Florida's HAF had finite resources, and the program eventually stopped accepting new applications once funds were exhausted. Homeowners who are currently facing hardship but missed the program should contact a HUD-approved housing counseling agency to explore other options including lender loss mitigation, HUD Home Retention programs, and Florida-based nonprofit assistance.