Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) is reopening the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) online application portal to accept final applications directly from homeowners.
Applications must be submitted by October 31st. New applications will be put on a wait-list and prioritized for homeowners most at risk of foreclosure or loss.
Homeowners can now review application criteria and apply directly online using a link on the HAF website, which is "oregonhomeownerassistance.org."
HAF offers federal temporary COVID-19 pandemic relief to help homeowners who experienced financial hardship due to the pandemic. HAF can help them become current on their mortgages, county taxes, homeowners' associations, land sale contracts, secured manufacture home or floating home loans, and lot rent or moorage fees associated with homeowners in manufactured home parks or marinas.
Financial hardship includes a reduction in income or an increase in housing costs resulting from the pandemic.
Homeowners are eligible to apply if they meet the program's general eligibility criteria and are facing foreclosure, involved in a court case that threatens their home, in property tax foreclosure, in collections with their HOA, or in other high-risk situations identified by a housing counselor. Homeowners in foreclosure may have already received outreach letters from OHCS or their county assessor.
OHCS will make its final HAF payments in February 2025, limiting total assistance available to new applicants. OHCS encourages homeowners to explore all other options with their servicer or a housing counselor before applying for HAF. Applying for HAF does not guarantee approval or that a foreclosure will be postpone. HAF is administered by the US Department of Treasury.
