Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund Reopens in 2023 With Grants Up to $50,000

Applications Reopened Twice in 2023

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) reopened the Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund portal to new applications on March 8, 2023, and again on August 2, 2023, after earlier closures when demand outran funding. The program uses federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to help Oregon homeowners who fell behind on mortgage payments because of the pandemic.

OHCS estimated that the August 2023 reopening could support roughly 500 additional eligible households before remaining funds were exhausted. That small remaining pool made the reopening a genuine last-chance window for many late applicants.

How Much Assistance Homeowners Can Get

Eligible homeowners can receive up to $50,000 in mortgage relief funds paid directly to their loan servicer. The funds can be used to cure mortgage arrears of 90 days or more, bring escrow current on property taxes and homeowners insurance, and, in some cases, provide a limited window of forward payment assistance.

The aid is structured as a grant rather than a loan in most cases, so qualifying homeowners do not have to repay it as long as they continue to occupy the property as a primary residence.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund, a homeowner must:

• Own and occupy a single-family home, condominium, or manufactured home in Oregon as a primary residence.
• Be at least 90 days past due on the mortgage, or at risk of imminent default.
• Have household income at or below 150% of the area median income.
• Have experienced a qualifying financial hardship after January 21, 2020, tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Have exhausted other loss mitigation options with the servicer, such as forbearance or modification.

Oregon prioritized applications from socially disadvantaged homeowners and from households earning below 100% of area median income, consistent with federal HAF guidance.

Why the Portal Closed and Reopened

Oregon was one of the first states to stand up its HAF program in 2022, and initial demand was so high that OHCS had to close the portal to new applications. State officials spent the intervening months processing applications already in the queue, working with servicers to clear arrears, and verifying documentation. The reopenings in March and August 2023 happened once OHCS determined it had enough remaining funds to serve additional households.

After the 2023 Reopenings

OHCS eventually gave notice of a final application window as funds ran down, with the portal ultimately closing to new applications. Homeowners who applied during the 2023 reopenings but did not receive an award were encouraged to contact their servicer directly, look into state mediation through the Oregon Foreclosure Avoidance Program, and connect with HUD-approved housing counseling agencies for free foreclosure prevention counseling.

The program website at oregonhomeownerassistance.org served as the main portal for applications, document uploads, and status checks. Applicants who needed help could also call the HAF call center or reach out to one of the state's housing counseling partners.