LANSING, Mich. — Help is on the way for struggling Ingham County homeowners thanks to a new program created to keep them in their houses.
It's called the Ingham County Emergency Mortgage and Utility Assistance Program.
Officials say $1 million has been earmarked to help out homeowners who’ve been impacted by the pandemic.
“There are homeowners across Ingham County who may have lost their job, saw a reduction of hours, or maybe they got COVID themselves or somebody else in their household. So those hardship make those monthly payments harder and harder to pay,”said Capital Area Housing Partnership Executive Director Rawley Van Fossen.
The grant program pays up to 12 months of mortgage and utility payments.
Van Fossen says the grant money is coming at just the right time.
“Some moratoriums are coming to an end. The eviction moratorium with the CDC expires at the end of July. Lots of forbearance plans are reaching their balloon payments for mortgage holders,” he said.
Van Fossen says there are about two million people all over the country who’ve fallen behind on their mortgage payments.
There are income requirements to qualify for the program, but he says many people will qualify.
It's clear the grant funding is needed in the community because requests for assistance are already pouring in.
“We are processing applications for the first time this week. We’re making our first payments today. For approved homeowners in Ingham County for relief. And the funding will be first come first served until the funds have been used," Van Fossen siad.
Anyone looking to apply for the mortgage and utility assistance program can go into the Capital Area Housing Partnership office at Maple and Pine streets in Lansing to pick up an application.
You can also download one from their website: www.capitalareahousing.org/ingham-county-mortgage-assistance
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