Florida Hardest Hit Fund
Tens of thousands of Florida homeowners can expect to receive assistance from the Florida Hardest Hit Fund. The state will be receiving over $400 million from the federal government to fund the program. The majority of the money will be used to pay up to nine months of monthly mortgage payments for unemployed or underemployed homeowners. Another main component of the hardest hit fund is to provide free legal services and foreclosure assistance to people who are on the brink of or are currently facing a foreclosure. Below are additional details and information.
Florida unemployed mortgage assistance
The Florida hardest hit fund will help people who have lost their jobs, or had a reduction in income, keep their home. The state will work directly with various banks and lenders to provide additional time to the homeowner. The program wants to ensure these people have sufficient time to either qualify for a mortgage modification, or to provide them the ability to resume making their full mortgage payments.
The component is formally known as the Mortgage Intervention Strategy. It will help the underemployed and unemployed homeowners who are struggling due to a financial hardship that is beyond their control.
Legal Assistance from Hardest Hit Fund
Another resource offered by the Florida hardest hit fund is the Legal Representation Strategy. This service can help homeowners who are just beginning the foreclosure process, or it can also aid those who already have had a mortgage foreclosure action filed against them in the local court system.
The component of the program will provide homeowners with free legal representation and advice to ensure that they have an opportunity to explore all options other than a foreclosure. In addition, it is important to note that the Florida Supreme Court has mandated managed mediation programs. This will ensure that lenders meet with the homeowner. And a lawyer can provide assistance during this mediation session.
Using the free legal services from the Florida Hardest Hit fund, homeowners will have advice and representation to make their case for a loan modification, principal reduction, or other solution to their mortgage difficulties.
How to qualify for the Florida Hardest Hit Fund
Various hardships will be eligible for assistance. They include
- Unemployment or underemployment that due to no fault of the homeowner, such as a job layoff.
- Reduction, loss, or delay in the individuals receipt of money from the Federal government, State of Florida or other government assistance or benefits, such as Social Security, Government Pensions, Supplemental Security Income, Public Assistance.
- Unanticipated increases in the payments that need to be made to a mortgage escrow account to compensate for past underestimates of escrow requirements by the mortgage servicer.
- A reduction, loss, or delay in income because of disability or death of an individual who contributed to the household income.
- An increase or onset of expenses actually incurred related to uninsured damage, improvements or unexpected repairs to the home or mortgaged premises affecting the habitability of the residence.
- A significant or loss of income that is the result of a divorce. Or people can receive help if they have experienced a substantial increase in total housing expenses because of a divorce.
- Find more details and updates that were made to the Hardest Hit Fund in Florida. More.
Call your bank, lender, or Florida Housing at (850) 488-4197 to learn more. Or contact a HUD approved foreclosure counseling agency. Click here.
How much mortgage assistance is provided
If you qualify and are found eligible for the Florida Hardest Hit fund, the federal government as well as Florida Housing will use funds dedicated to the program to pay up to nine (9) months of mortgage payments on behalf of a homeowner in return for the credit union, bank, mortgage investor or lender forgiving up to nine months of payments from the homeowner. Contact your lender and ask them how to apply for the Florida Hardest Hit Fund.
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