With so much of the world shutting down, and the widespread layoffs that came along with it, many people struggled to pay their mortgages during the pandemic. But for many homeowners, those struggles didn’t end when the pandemic did. As the cost of living in the United States continues to increase, many people are still struggling to cover their mortgage costs.
COVID-related mortgage forbearance programs officially ended in November 2023, but there are still programs out there designed to help homeowners pay their mortgages, and keep their homes.
So what, exactly, are those programs?
A recent article from realtor.com outlined programs designed to help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgages, including:
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Payment Supplement Program. Earlier this year, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) rolled out their Payment Supplement Program. This program allows lenders to reduce the mortgage payments of qualifying homeowners by as much as 25 percent, with the FHA supplementing the difference. It should be noted that the program only allows mortgage payments to be reduced for up to 3 years, and homeowners have to pay back the supplement when the home is sold, refinanced, or paid off.
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Homeowner Assistance Fund. In 2022, the government created the Homeowners Assistance Fund, a program that provides assistance to homeowners severely impacted by the pandemic, mostly in the form of grants which don’t have to be repaid. While many states have stopped offering grants, 13 states and the Virgin Islands are still accepting applications — with other states continuing to accept waiting list applications — so it’s worth doing your research and visiting your state’s HAF website to see if funds are still available and, if so, how to apply.
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Flex Modification Programs. Both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have flex modification programs, which allow you to modify the terms of your mortgage to make monthly payments more affordable. For example, by moving from a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage to a 40 year loan or, in some cases, by lowering your interest rate.
