Homeowner Assistance program accepting applications, part of ARPA

VERMONT - Gov. Phil Scott and the Department of Housing and Community Development announced that the Homeowner Assistance program, which will help Vermont homeowners facing pandemic hardships, is now accepting applications.
 The program, funded by $50 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, will provide grants of up to $30,000 per household toward overdue mortgage payments, utility bills, property taxes, and property association charges.
The HAP is being managed through the Vermont Housing Finance Agency and expected to run for multiple years to help reduce the long-term risk of foreclosure and home loss.
Passed as a part of ARPA, this program was supported by Sen. Patrick Leahy, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Peter Welch.
Earlier in the pandemic VHFA organized the Mortgage Assistance Program, which assisted nearly 900 households with a total of $10 million in mortgage and property tax assistance.
The additional federal ARPA funding allows the HAP to offer expanded criteria to support homeowners who do not have a mortgage or who have a reverse mortgage. It will also cover utility bills and homeowner and condominium association fees to help even more households facing financial challenges.
The program is available to any Vermont homeowner who meets the eligibility criteria, and is not just for VHFA mortgage borrowers. The program is available to Vermont homeowners for expenses related to their primary home, who meet income limits, and who are behind on their bills due to a financial hardship associated with the coronavirus pandemic after January 21, 2020.
More information and application materials are available at vermonthap.vhfa.org. The website is available in several languages and includes information about how applicants can access additional translation and application assistance. A Homeowner Assistance program information hotline is open 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday, at (833) 221-4208.