Homeowner Stimulus Checks: Inside the Nearly $10 Billion Aid Program

Although no standalone federal "homeowner stimulus check" program exists, the closest real-world equivalent is the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) — a nearly $10 billion federal aid effort created to keep homeowners in their homes after COVID-19 disrupted household finances.

Congress authorized the HAF through Section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which President Biden signed into law on March 11, 2021. The statute (codified at 15 U.S.C. § 9058d) provides $9.961 billion to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for distribution to states, U.S. territories, Tribes, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. ARPA set aside 5% of the total ($498.1 million) for Tribes and DHHL, leaving roughly $9.4 billion to be formula-allocated to the states.

HAF is not a universal stimulus check. Instead, eligible homeowners apply to their state or territorial HAF program and, in most cases, receive grant funds paid directly to mortgage servicers, utilities, insurers, or tax authorities. Qualified uses include past-due and ongoing mortgage payments, property taxes, homeowner's insurance, homeowners' association fees, utilities, internet service, and certain home repairs — all aimed at preventing delinquency, default, foreclosure, loss of utilities, and displacement.

To qualify, applicants generally must demonstrate a COVID-related financial hardship and meet income limits. Most state programs cap eligibility at 150% of area median income or $79,900 (whichever is higher), using HUD-published HAF income limits.

Treasury data show the program's scale. Through June 2024, HAF had assisted more than 549,000 homeowners, and by September 2025 the program had delivered nearly $7.9 billion in assistance to over 610,000 struggling homeowners, according to Treasury reporting. The agency has emphasized that HAF dollars have disproportionately reached low-income households, homeowners of color, and female-headed households.

HAF is winding down. Programs are scheduled to end in September 2026 or earlier if a given state's funds are exhausted — and many state portals have already closed or paused new applications. Homeowners seeking help should check their state HAF administrator's website, use the CFPB's HAF locator, or contact a HUD-approved housing counselor before funds run out.