Homeowners who meet certain criteria can become eligible for stimulus money from the Homeowners Assistance Fund under the terms of the American Rescue Plan Act. They have to:
- Have a household income of less than 150 percent of the area median income
- Have encountered financial hardship after January 21, 2020 and be able to prove it. Healthcare costs or a job loss are just two examples.
- Have a mortgage loan balance of less than $548,250 as of 2021
The money can be used for a variety of home-related expenses including:
– Mortgage payments – Homeowners insurance – Utility payments – Other specified purposesThe HAF fund, established by the American Rescue Plan Act, was created to help homeowners avoid defaulting on their loans, losing utility services, going into mortgage default, or facing foreclosure. The law also specifies that homeowners who have “suffered the most hardships” should be given priority.
How can homeowners get their stimulus money?
The Homeowners Assistance Fund is distributed to the states under the American Rescue Plan Act. A minimum of $50 million will be distributed to each state. At least $50 million will be distributed to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Homeowners within the state’s borders will be given information on the application process as well as any specific eligibility restrictions. If you’re interested in applying and hoping to receive more financial assistance from the federal government.
State housing finance agencies (HFAs) have played a critical role in the nation’s affordable housing system for more than 50 years. HFAs provide funds for the purchase, construction, and rehabilitation of affordable homes and rental apartments for low- and middle-income families.
Each state’s HFA was established to address the state’s specific affordable housing needs. To learn more about the programs available and to get answers to your housing finance questions, contact the agency directly.Only states that choose to participate in the HAF will be given funds to establish state HAF programs, which will be run by state housing finance agencies. Please note that the deadline for states to submit HAF plans or notify Treasury of the date by which they will submit a HAF plan has been extended to July 31, 2021; most state HAF programs are not expected to begin until Fall 2021.
| State Housing Financing Agency | Webpage | Participating in HAF? |
| Alabama Housing Finance Authority | www.ahfa.com | Yes – apply online |
| Alaska Housing Finance Corporation | www.ahfc.us | Yes – under development |
| Arizona Department of Housing | www.housing.az.gov | Yes – drafting plan |
| Arkansas Development Finance Authority | www.arkansas.gov/adfa | Yes – open to public comment |
| California Housing Finance Agency | www.calhfa.ca.gov | Yes – expects to begin in the fall. |
| Colorado Housing Finance Authority | www.chfainfo.com | Yes – drafting plan |
| Connecticut Housing Finance Authority | www.chfa.org | Yes – initial pilot round |
| Delaware State Housing Authority | www.destatehousing.com | Yes – expects to open in August |
| District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development | www.dhcd.dc.gov | inquire with state agency |
| District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency | www.dchfa.org | inquire with state agency |
| Florida Housing Finance Corporation | www.floridahousing.org | Yes – drafting plan |
| Georgia Department of Community Affairs/Georgia Housing Finance Authority | www.dca.ga.gov | Yes – draft term sheet submitted |
| Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation | www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/hhfdc | Yes – expects to begin in the fall |
| Idaho Housing and Finance Association | www.idahohousing.com | inquire with state agency |
| Illinois Housing Development Authority | www.ihda.org | Yes – expects to begin in the fall. |
| Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority | www.in.gov/ihcda | Yes – drafting plan |
| Iowa Finance Authority | www.iowafinanceauthority.gov | Yes – coming soon |
| Kansas Housing Resources Corporation | www.kshousingcorp.org | Yes – expects to begin late summer |
| Kentucky Housing Corporation | www.kyhousing.org | Yes – drafting plan |
| Louisiana Housing Corporation | www.lhc.la.gov | Yes – drafting plan |
| Maine Housing | www.mainehousing.org | Yes – expects to begin late summer |
| Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development | www.dhcd.maryland.gov | Yes, drafted plan |
| Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development | www.mass.gov/dhcd | Yes, drafted plan |
| MassHousing | www.masshousing.com | Yes, drafted plan |
| Michigan State Housing Development Authority | www.michigan.gov/mshda | Yes – expects to begin in the fall |
| Minnesota Housing | www.mnhousing.gov | Yes – coming soon |
| Mississippi Home Corporation | www.mshomecorp.com | Yes – apply online now |
| Missouri Housing Development Commission | www.mhdc.com | Yes – coming soon |
| Montana Housing | housing.mt.gov | Yes – coming soon |
| Nebraska Investment Finance Authority | www.nifa.org | inquire with state agency |
| Nevada Housing Division | https://housing.nv.gov/ | Yes – drafting plan |
| New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority | www.nhhfa.org | Yes – drafting plan |
| New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency | www.njhousing.gov | Yes – expects to begin in the fall |
| New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority | www.housingnm.org | Yes – applications are being accepted |
| New York City Housing Development Corporation | www.nychdc.com | Yes – review draft plan. |
| New York State Homes and Community Renewal | https://hcr.ny.gov/ | Yes – review draft plan. |
| North Carolina Housing Finance Agency | www.nchfa.com | Yes – under development |
| North Dakota Housing Finance Agency | www.ndhfa.org | inquire with state agency |
| Ohio Housing Finance Agency | www.ohiohome.org | Yes – pilot program running |
| Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency | www.ohfa.org | Yes– open for public comment |
| Oregon Housing and Community Services | www.ohcs.oregon.gov | Yes – coming soon |
| Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency | www.phfa.org | Yes – coming soon |
| Rhode Island Housing | www.rihousing.com | Yes – plan drafted |
| South Carolina State Housing Finance Development Authority | www.schousing.com | Yes – drafting plan |
| South Dakota Housing Development Authority | www.sdhda.org | Yes – apply today |
| Tennessee Housing Development Agency | www.thda.org | Yes – coming soon |
| Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs | www.tdhca.state.tx.us | Yes – drafting plan |
| Utah Housing Corporation | www.utahhousingcorp.org | inquire with state agency |
| Vermont Housing Finance Agency | www.vhfa.org | Yes – expects to begin in the fall |
| Virginia Housing Development Authority | www.vhda.com | Yes – coming soon |
| Washington State Housing Finance Commission | www.wshfc.org | Yes – drafting plan |
| West Virginia Housing Development Fund | www.wvhdf.com | Yes – drafting plan |
| Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority | www.wheda.com | Yes – drafting plan |
| Wyoming Community Development Authority | www.wyomingcda.com | Yes – drafting plan |