Application Supporting Documents and Documentation Requirements

The following  documents are also required  in the on-line application portal:

• Government-issued ID for all household members 18 years of age or older

• Deed or Proof of Ownership
• Income Documents for all household members 18 years of age or older 
• Accepted Income Documents Include: 
  • paystubs;
  • W2s or other wage statements;
  • IRS Form 1099, tax filings;
  • depository institution (or bank) statements demonstrating regular income;
  • benefit determination letter;
  • a self-attestation of zero income; or
  • or an attestation from an employer.
• Mortgage Documents such as your most recent mortgage statement, loss mitigation paperwork from your mortgage lender, foreclosure notices, etc.  
• Completed and signed Third Party Authorization form. This form is necessary in order for the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program/Homeowner Assistance Fund Program staff to speak with your mortgage lender.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for assistance from the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, homeowners must complete an application and demonstrate that they: 

• Have experienced a COVID-related impact to their finances on or after January 21, 2020. 
  • The hardship could include: job loss; reduction in income; reduction in hours worked; increased costs due to healthcare; increased costs due to the need to care for family members; or other issues which have impacted the household’s income. 
• Are owner-occupants of a single-family home or condominium, or a 2- 3- or 4-family home located in Colorado. 
  • This does not include owner-occupied properties of 5 or more units, investor-owned properties or vacation homes. 
• Have an income equal to or less than 100% of Area Median Income for the county in which they reside currently, or at the time of COVID-related financial hardship.
• Have a loan under the conforming loan limits (non-jumbo loan) at time of origination or most recent refinance (loan limits vary by region). 

Homeowners applying for the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program should also apply for loss mitigation through their mortgage lender.  Loss mitigation documentation may be uploaded with your Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program application.  

Additional documentation may be requested in order to verify your eligibility.

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Where to Go for Help

For program information and assistance with application status email, dola_haf_client_support@state.co.us.

For the Neighborly portal, reset your password, or for technical assistance email, support@neighborlysoftware.com.

To locate an approved U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) counselor in your area, review the HUD website or call HUD’s interactive voice system (800) 569-4287.

• https://hudgov-answers.force.com/housingcounseling/s/

For help with internet financial assistance visit the FCC Affordable Connectivity Program.

For help with utilities visit the Energy Outreach Colorado Bill Payment Assistance Program. 

Program FAQs

What type of expenses can be covered by the Emergency Mortgage Assistance program/Homeowner Assistance Fund program?  

Expenses covered by the Emergency Mortgage Assistance program currently include: 

• Mortgage assistance (not required to be delinquent)
• Mortgage reinstatement assistance (amounts over $30,000 require a sustainability review)
• Homeowner or Condominium association fees or liens
• Homeowner’s utilities (including electric, gas, remove internet service, home energy and water)
• Payment assistance for delinquent property taxes
• Homeowner’s insurance payment assistance
• Lot rent assistance (for owner occupied mobile homes)
• Chattel loan assistance (for owner occupied mobile homes)

How long will it take to know if I’ve been approved for assistance?

Each case is different, however, most cases go through an initial review within 2-3 weeks after application submission. Following initial review, an electronic record is sent to your mortgage company.  It can take several weeks to receive information back from your mortgage company, and a final determination won’t be made about your application until a response is received from your mortgage company.

Who reviews my application? 

We contract with non-profit and local government agency partners to complete the review and processing of applications. Our non-profit and local government partners include:

• The City of Aurora,
• Boulder County,
• Brother’s Redevelopment Inc.,
• Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation (CHAC),
• Community and Economic Development Project (CEDP)/The Community Firm,
• Denver Housing Authority (DHA),
• La Puente,
• Neighbor to Neighbor,
• NeighborWorks,
• Newsed,
• Northeast Denver Housing Center,
• Rocky Mountain Community Land Trust (RMCLT),
• Total Concept, and
• Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments (UAACOG) 

Can my application be prioritized for quicker processing? 

Currently the only prioritization is for borrowers facing a pending foreclosure sale (e.g., an auction date). We do anticipate some special circumstances to arise through case management that will be prioritized as needed.

Why is my application still listed as “Application Submitted?”

The status of your application will read “Application Submitted” if it has been submitted by you, but not yet pulled for review by one of our non-profit partners. Once one of our non-profit partners pulls your application for review, they will change the status of your application to “Under Review.”  Once the reviewing agency makes a determination about your application, they will let you know via email or through the Neighborly portal.  

What qualifies as COVID impact?

You must have experienced a direct or indirect financial hardship such as a decrease in income or increase in living expenses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This can include but is not limited to job loss, reduction in work hours, an increase in costs due to childcare, illness, or the need to care for a family member since January 21, 2020. This can include hardships that began before January 21, 2020 and continued after that date, but only costs accrued after January 21, 2020 are eligible for EMAP assistance.

How will I be informed of the approval or denial of my EMAP application?

Once one of the State of Colorado non-profit partners pulls your application for review, they will make a determination about your application and let you know via email, text, or the Neighborly application portal.  The non-profit partner will let you know if any additional information is needed to process your application, and if approved, the amount of assistance you are approved for. 

If my application is denied, how can I appeal this decision?

If denied, you will have sixty (60) days to appeal. 

To appeal, email dola_haf_client_suppport@state.co.us and include the following: 
Case ID for Neighborly portal

• Summary of the situation and reasons provided by the reviewer for the rejection
• Appeal statement detailing why the decision is not appropriate
• Supporting documentation that can be used to demonstrate why the appeal is valid

The Division of Housing will review the appeal and issue a decision within 21 days. 

Can I re-apply if additional assistance is needed?

No.

The Emergency Mortgage Assistance program is designed for short-term, one-time assistance; therefore homeowners cannot re-apply for assistance.

My mortgage is in forbearance and/or enrolled in a loss mitigation plan. Can I apply today?

Yes. 

The Emergency Mortgage Assistance program encourages all homeowners to reach out to their mortgage lender to determine what loss mitigation options may be available.  However, we will not process your application until after your forbearance period ends and a decision has been made by your mortgage lender about your loss mitigation options.

Can I apply for Emergency Mortgage Assistance program assistance if I have declared Chapter 13 bankruptcy? 

Yes.

Yes, Approval of assistance may be contingent on approval of assistance from BK trustee or court

Can I apply for the Emergency Mortgage Assistance program if foreclosure is imminent?

Yes, however, if you apply less than 10 days before the foreclosure sale date, we may be unable to prevent the foreclosure.  We will contact your lender and attempt to prevent the foreclosure to the best of our ability, but we cannot guarantee assistance. 

Am I eligible for the Emergency Mortgage Assistance program for my second home or rental property?  

No.

Assistance is only available for owner-occupied homes. For rental properties you can explore rental assistance programs.

How much assistance is available? 

For qualified expenses up to $40,000 per household.

Maximum assistance is $40,000 per household. Assistance will cover eligible arrears not covered in a loss mitigation offer from the lender, current month payment, plus up to 2 future months payments. Homeowners are eligible for a one time assistance, and maximum assistance is not guaranteed.

Who shall I list as an applicant?

All adults eighteen (18) years or older residing in the home as their primary residence must provide identification and income documentation as counted toward the total household annual income. 

What does the status of my application mean?

• Application in Progress: Application is currently underway by the homeowner. It has not yet been submitted for review.
• Application Submitted: Application has been submitted by client and is currently waiting to be assigned to a Reviewer.
• Application Under Review: Application is currently under review by the Reviewer. 
• Pending Applicant Information: The reviewing agency needs further information from the homeowner in order to make a determination about the application. 
• Non-Responsive: The homeowner has not responded to reviewer attempts to contact them.  If a response is not received, the application will be closed due to non-responsiveness. 
• Withdrawn: The homeowner is no longer in need of assistance and has asked to have their application withdrawn. 
• On Hold, Pending Loss Mitigation Paperwork: The reviewing agency is awaiting a decision by the mortgage lender concerning loss mitigation, or the reviewing agency is waiting for the homeowner’s forbearance period to be over.  
• Approved: Pending Payment: The application has been approved for assistance and is awaiting payment by the reviewing agency. 
• Denied: The application has been denied.  To find out how to appeal a denial see the program FAQs.
• Denied-Duplicate: The application has been denied because there has already been an application submitted by the homeowner previously.
• Paid: The reviewing agency has processed the check and the approval information has been sent to the homeowner.  
• Closed: All payments that the homeowner has been approved for have been sent.  No more assistance is available so the application has been closed out.

Where can I get assistance?

For program information and assistance with application status email, dola_haf_client_support@state.co.us.

For the Neighborly portal, reset your password, or for technical assistance email, support@neighborlysoftware.com.

To locate an approved U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) counselors in your area review the HUD website or call HUD’s interactive voice system (800) 569-4287.

• https://hudgov-answers.force.com/housingcounseling/s/

For assistance with rent visit the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or email, dola_eraquestions@state.co.us.

• https://cdola.colorado.gov/rental-assistance-program