Published April 28. 2022 02:45PM
A new program is available for homeowners who fall behind on their mortgage.
At the Monroe County Commissioners meeting last week Commissioner John Moyer informed the board about the Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund to help Pennsylvanians who have experienced hardships.
The Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund, or PAHAF, is a housing-related program funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to assist Pennsylvania homeowners facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic that began after Jan. 21, 2020, (including a hardship that began before Jan. 21, 2020, and continued after that date). The program will provide financial assistance to homeowners for qualified mortgage and housing-related expenses to avoid delinquency, default, foreclosure or displacement.
“You may have heard about the ERAP program which is emergency rental assistance program that makes money available through COVID-related funds to renters who are behind on their rental payments and also behind on their utilities, and now there is a program that has been launched that does essentially the same thing for people who are struggling to pay their mortgage because of the impact of COVID,” he said.
“Two grants have been awarded for a total of about $17,500, so I would encourage anyone struggling with paying their mortgage, utilities and homeowner insurance to apply,” Moyer said.
The program is available only to homes in Pennsylvania in which the applicant is the owner and occupant. It does not apply to second homes. A description of the program and an application can be found at www.phfa.org. There is also a help line to assist. Call 888-987-2423