Media Contact: Chynna Cowart
chynna.cowart@state.co.us | 303-656-7464
The State of Colorado has provided emergency mortgage assistance to more than 2500 households. Funding is still available for homeowners facing foreclosure or financial hardship and can be applied for on the Department of Local Affairs’ website at www.MortgageHelpCO.org.
About the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program
Colorado has remained focused on keeping people housed throughout the pandemic and recovery. So far, the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program has provided 2580 households with mortgage payment assistance and saved 379 households from foreclosure. The Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) is currently receiving about 300 applications per month.
Expenses covered by the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program currently include:
- Mortgage assistance (not required to be delinquent)
- Mortgage reinstatement assistance
- Homeowner association fees or liens
- Condominium association fees
- Homeowner’s utilities (including electric, gas, internet service, home energy and water)
- Payment assistance for delinquent property taxes
- Homeowner’s insurance payment assistance
- Lot rent for owner-occupied mobile homes
- Pay down or payoff mobile home financing (aka chattel loans) to allow for the transfer of title and/or the refinance to reasonable market rates
To help mitigate financial hardships associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, the United States Treasury's Homeowners Assistance Fund was established under Section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act in March of 2021. Until January, the State’s Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (EMAP) was running as a small pilot program with 4 subgrantees and limited capacity. Now, EMAP has entered its full program with 14 subgrantees throughout the state.
Eligibility
The amount of funding will be commensurate to the needs of the homeowner. If the homeowner requires more than three months of mortgage assistance, a housing counseling consultation will be required. Currently, the max pay-out for mortgage payment recipients is $40,000, with the average assistance award being approximately $10,500.
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).
For many Coloradans, the pandemic has exacerbated housing insecurity. To provide the best service to Coloradans, the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) works closely with nonprofit organizations and national contractors. We work in tandem and remain committed to keeping people housed.
“While some Coloradans are recovering from the impacts of the COVID Pandemic, many continue to face financial challenges as a result of the pandemic. The Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program will allow homeowners to stabilize their housing by catching up on mortgage payments and other costs associated with homeownership,” Melissa Nereson, Office of Housing Recovery Manager.
Getting Help
The Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program aims to protect homeowners facing financial hardship from delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, utilities loss, and displacement after January 21, 2020. This program can assist Coloradans even if the foreclosure process has begun. Since i2foreclosures often take several months to complete, you may still have time to get 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: | Visit: https://hudgov-answers.force.com/housingcounseling/s/ |
Apply for the Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program at www.MortgageHelpCO.org.