HAF Awards More Than $138 Million in Assistance to Florida's Vulnerable Homeowners

~ Weekly Update for the Homeowner Assistance Fund, Week of June 27 - July 1  ~

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced that it has awarded more than $138 million in total relief, with more than $30 million awarded this week alone, to some of Florida’s most vulnerable homeowners through the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). 

"Our team at DEO is connecting with homeowners in communities across the state to bring awareness to the program, review applications in accordance with federal guidelines, and provide relief on an expedited timeline to help Florida homeowners achieve financial stability," said DEO Secretary Dane Eagle. "As we continue to work with mortgage lenders and service providers to ensure continuity of services, we encourage applicants facing imminent foreclosures or service disruptions to notify their lenders and servicers of their participation in the HAF program and request a hold be placed on their account."

PROGRAM UPDATES FOR THE WEEK OF JUNE 27 - JULY 1
Applications

• A total of 5,058 homeowner applications have been approved by DEO, representing more than $138 million in awards to date.
  • 11,103 applications have been started by homeowners but have not been submitted.
  • 9,760 applications have been submitted to DEO by homeowners.

Registrations

• 44,775 eligible registrations have been submitted.
  • 42,308 registrations are Tier 1, and all have been invited to apply for relief.
  • 2,467 registrations are Tier 2.

DEO continues to prioritize Florida’s most vulnerable homeowners and is inviting homeowners in Tier 1 to apply for assistance. DEO will invite homeowners in Tier 2 to apply after homeowners in Tier 1 have received assistance, pending the availability of funding. DEO remains committed to processing Florida’s HAF program registrations and applications as quickly as possible.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: GETTING THE WORD OUT

DEO continues to connect with homeowners in Florida communities through various outreach efforts – we have coordinated with more than 220 faith-based organizations with a broad reach across the state and facilitated more than 140 outreach events with 18 faith-based organizations, 31 community-based organizations, 67 local businesses, and 27 local governments. Additional outreach efforts include partnerships with university campus organizations that focus on community awareness and action through educational, economic, and cultural service activities; grassroots outreach efforts such as high-traffic canvassing, information booths, and speaking opportunities; and, the network of Florida Urban League Affiliates, providing services in 19 counties across the State of Florida, representing two-thirds of the state's population. 

CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER LOCATIONS

More than 870 homeowners have been assisted at Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund Customer Assistance Centers.

Homeowners may visit one of eight in-person Customer Assistance Centers for assistance. Please note that on Monday, July 4, all Customer Assistance Centers will be closed in observance of Independence Day. 

At a customer assistance center, homeowners may:

• Complete a registration for the Florida HAF program.
• Once the homeowner has been invited to apply, receive assistance with completing an application for assistance through the Florida HAF program.
• Receive assistance with uploading documentation necessary to complete an application.
• Receive an update on the status of a submitted application for assistance through the Florida HAF program.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• Florida homeowners who have been impacted by the pandemic and believe they may be eligible to receive relief through the HAF program are encouraged to register to participate in the program. Potential applicants can complete the registration process by visiting www.FLHomeownerAssistance.org.

• Registration assists DEO in determining the eligibility and prioritization of prospective applicants for the program.

• After registrants are determined eligible, they receive an invitation to apply for assistance and are encouraged to apply for all types of assistance available through the HAF program, including mortgage and utility assistance.

RESOURCES FOR APPLICANTS

The Homeowner Assistance Fund Customer Assistance Center (833-987-8997) is available Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Eastern Time), except for Monday, July 4, when the hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for all inquiries and questions.

Additional resources listed below are available at www.FLHomeownerAssistance.org:

• FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
• PROGRAM OVERVIEW
• APPLICATION DOCUMENT CHECKLIST
• APPLICATION GUIDE

PREVIOUS PROGRAM UPDATES

• On February 9, 2022, DEO received approval of the state of Florida's Homeowner Assistance Fund Needs Assessment and Plan from the United States Department of the Treasury (U.S. Treasury) to implement the state's HAF program for eligible homeowners. The Needs Assessment and Plan was submitted to the U.S. Treasury on August 20, 2021.

• Prior to the approval of the state’s HAF Needs Assessment and Plan, DEO began utilizing 10 percent of the allocated funding to launch the Homeowner Assistance Fund Pilot Program in November 2021, in accordance with U.S. Treasury guidance. The state of Florida was one of 12 states to proactively launch a HAF Pilot Program while waiting for the U.S. Treasury to approve its Needs Assessment and Plan.

• On February 28, 2022, DEO initiated Phase 2 of the HAF program by opening registration for prospective applicants. Applicants determined eligible through the registration process are currently receiving unique application links by email to apply for up to $50,000 in assistance.

• On June 24, 2022, DEO reached a key milestone – awarding more than $100 million to assist Florida's vulnerable homeowners. 

ABOUT HAF
HAF is designed to mitigate financial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing homeowners’ mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and displacements, as well as by providing assistance with home energy services, internet, property and/or flood insurance, property taxes, and homeowner or condominium association fees. Eligible Florida homeowners may receive up to $50,000 in assistance.

ABOUT DEO
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity combines the state’s economic, workforce and community development efforts, expediting economic development projects to fuel job creation in competitive communities and promote economic resiliency. For more information, including valuable resources for employers and job seekers, please visit www.FloridaJobs.org.