MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County residents who need help after falling behind on house payments during the Covid-19 pandemic can still get assistance through the California Mortgage Relief Program, which is expanding eligibility requirements to help more homeowners catch up on past-due payments and get a fresh start.
The program has extended assistance to cover past-due property taxes for homeowners whose mortgage payments are current and homeowners who are mortgage-free. Homeowners who fall in this category could receive up to $20,000 to cover past-due property taxes.
Previously, property taxes were covered for reverse mortgage holders or as part of a complete reinstatement for homeowners who were also behind on their mortgage.
“I am proud to be a member of the working group that brought enhanced tax assistance to homeowners who did not require mortgage relief,” said Mary Zeeb, Monterey County treasurer-tax collector. “By broadening this program to include taxpayers that only need assistance with property tax payments we will help a segment of our population that had previously been excluded from relief. This enhanced program will keep more people in their homes and help to offset some of the financial hardships they experienced during the pandemic.”
Other program expansions include:
- Homeowners are now eligible for assistance from the program if their household income is at or below the county income limit (150% of their county’s Area Median Income, based on federal limits set for this program). California homeowners interested in applying can find their county’s Area Median Income by using a calculator available online at CaMortgageRelief.org.
- In addition, homeowners who have missed at least two mortgage payments prior to June 30, 2022, and are currently delinquent, may be eligible for assistance. This updates an original requirement that required homeowners to have missed at least two payments prior to December 27, 2021.
The California Mortgage Relief Program offers financial assistance to eligible homeowners through a one-time only grant that does not have to be paid back. This means homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage or property tax payments due to pandemic-related financial hardships can get caught up.
Homeowners can check to see if they are eligible to apply for the California Mortgage Relief Program by visiting CaMortgageRelief.org and clicking the “Apply Now” button. Homeowners who meet the pre-screening criteria may complete an application for funding.
Application assistance is available through the program’s Contact Center at 1-888-840-2594.
The CalHFA Homeowner Relief Corporation (CalHRC) is a special-purpose affiliate of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). CalHFA is an independent state agency that assists low to moderate income Californians by acting as the state’s affordable housing lender.
Through CalHRC, the agency is able to disburse the American Rescue Plan Act’s Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) on behalf of the State of California given its expertise in the mortgage assistance and homeownership space.
