The Wyoming Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) Program held three virtual town halls in early 2023 to explain how homeowners could access up to $17,000 in mortgage and housing cost help. The sessions highlighted a new service within the program: forward mortgage payment assistance, which covers up to three consecutive months of upcoming payments for qualifying households. For Wyoming homeowners falling behind or at risk of falling behind on their mortgages, the town halls demystified an application process that can feel daunting from the outside.

Why the Town Halls Were Held

The Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS), which administers the HAF Program, recognized that many eligible homeowners were not applying. Some did not know the program existed. Others thought they would not qualify. Still others had started applications and gotten stuck in the paperwork.

Three virtual town halls were scheduled for early March 2023: Thursday, March 9 at 2 p.m.; Monday, March 13 at 12:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m. Each session ran through the same content but at different times to fit work schedules across the state.

The sessions were led by DFS staff with input from the state's HAF contractors. Attendees could ask questions live, and the team posted follow-up information after each session.

What the Wyoming HAF Program Covers

Wyoming's HAF Program offers eligible homeowners a one-time award of up to $17,000. The funds can cover:

Past-due mortgage payments and reinstatement of defaulted loans
Up to three consecutive months of forward mortgage payments
Delinquent property taxes
Delinquent homeowners insurance
Delinquent homeowners association dues
Certain utilities tied to the primary residence

Payments flow directly to the servicer, tax collector, insurance company, or utility. Homeowners do not receive cash themselves.

The Forward Payment Addition

One of the most important updates discussed in the town halls was the expansion to cover up to three consecutive months of forward mortgage payments. Earlier in the program's life, HAF dollars primarily focused on reinstating past-due loans. The forward payment feature gave Wyoming homeowners a practical way to stabilize their budgets while they recovered from a financial setback.

For example, a homeowner who missed two mortgage payments because of a medical emergency could apply for HAF to:

Pay the two delinquent months (reinstatement)
Cover up to three months of future payments while they re-establish income
Pair the help with any loan modification the servicer was willing to offer

Who Qualifies

Eligibility rules align with federal HAF guardrails. Wyoming homeowners must:

Have experienced a qualifying financial hardship after January 21, 2020
Have household income at or below defined Area Median Income thresholds
Own and occupy the home as their primary residence
Hold an eligible loan type or face eligible housing cost delinquencies

Additional program rules may apply depending on loan type, property type (site-built, manufactured, or other), and the specific service request.

How to Apply

The application is online at dfs.wyo.gov/haf. A call center at 1-888-WYO-HAFP (1-888-996-4237) provides support Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call center staff help walk applicants through the process, troubleshoot portal issues, and answer eligibility questions.

The typical application flow:

Create an account at the HAF portal
Complete the online intake form
Upload required documents
Wait for review and approval
If approved, funds flow directly to the servicer, tax collector, or utility

Required documents usually include:

Photo ID
Mortgage statement showing the account and any arrears
Income documentation (pay stubs, tax returns, or benefit statements)
Evidence of the pandemic-related hardship
Property tax, insurance, or utility bills for relevant components of the request

Key Points From the Town Halls

Participants in the town halls came away with several practical takeaways:

Apply even if unsure. Eligibility is determined during review. Incomplete applications can often be completed with a follow-up call.
Gather documents early. Most application delays come from missing paperwork. Having documents ready shortens the review timeline significantly.
Coordinate with the servicer. Let the mortgage servicer know a HAF application is in progress. Many servicers pause foreclosure timelines when an application is confirmed.
Watch for scams. The program is free to apply to. Any charge is a red flag.
Use the call center. Applicants who felt stuck found the call center most helpful when they had account numbers, income figures, and documents pulled up before calling.

Complementary Resources

Homeowners who might not qualify for HAF, or whose needs extend beyond what HAF covers, were pointed toward other options:

HUD-approved housing counselors. Free guidance on mortgage workouts, budgeting, and foreclosure avoidance
Servicer loss mitigation teams. Forbearance, loan modification, and repayment plans
Community action agencies. Utility assistance, weatherization, and other support
Wyoming Department of Family Services programs. Including energy assistance and food support for households with layered needs

Why the Town Halls Mattered

Application volume for federal assistance programs often lags what's possible because eligible residents either do not know the program exists or do not understand how to apply. The Wyoming town halls took a direct shot at both problems. They put the program's staff on camera, answered real questions from real homeowners, and created a record of best practices that outreach partners could use after the sessions.

What to Expect Next

Like every state HAF program, Wyoming's is time-limited. Federal funds must be committed and spent within defined windows. Homeowners who think they might qualify should not wait. The town halls emphasized that every month of delay is a month closer to program closure or to a foreclosure timeline that may be harder to unwind.

For Wyoming homeowners who watched a session or heard about the program through a neighbor, the message was simple: check the portal, call the hotline, and do not assume you do not qualify. The fund was built for residents facing the very kind of strain the post-pandemic economy produced.

Wyoming HAF Virtual Town Halls Explain Mortgage Payment Help