FAQs

NYS HAF WAITING LIST

When is the application portal closing?

The NYS HAF program application portal closed on February 18th, 2022. Starting February 19th, 2022, interested homeowners were able to join a waiting list. Homeowners who already submitted an application were still able to login to the NYS HAF portal to check the status of their application.

What happens if I do not complete my application by the date the portal closes?

You have 30 days from the date you started your application to complete it.

Am I guaranteed NYS HAF financial assistance if I submitted my application during the open period?

Application submission does not guarantee financial assistance.

If I don’t have access to a computer can I be added to the waitlist?

Yes. You can join the waiting list by contacting the Call Center at 1-844-776-9423

When will I hear back from the program after being added to the waitlist?

At this time, the program is fully subscribed. We will only be contacting people on the waiting list if additional funding becomes available. If additional funding becomes available, we will contact homeowners in the order they signed up on the waiting list.

Are there other resources available beyond NYS HAF?

Yes! Homeowners can learn about other resources by following this link.

ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

What is the New York State Homeowner Assistance Fund (NYS HAF)?

The American Rescue Plan passed by Congress in March of 2021 provided New York with funds to help homeowners at risk of default, foreclosure, and displacement as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The NYS HAF program is being administered by the NY State affordable housing agency, NYS Homes & Community Renewal (HCR), in partnership with Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC, a non-profit dedicated to foreclosure prevention and homeownership preservation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Under NYS HAF, homeowners are defined as New York State residents who own a home and occupy that home as their primary residence (meaning it is where you live for the majority of every calendar year).

Types of eligible homeowners include: Mortgaged homeowners who are in a forbearance plan or were offered a forbearance plan that has expired; this may be a first and/or a second mortgage. Mortgaged homeowners who were not offered a forbearance plan, or missed the option to apply for one, and are considered delinquent on their first or second mortgage. Homeowners who are behind on payments for property taxes, water bills, or sewage bills. Coop or condo homeowners who are behind on monthly carrying charges such as maintenance fees or homeowner association payments. Homeowners who live in manufactured homes and who are behind on home loans or retail installment contracts used to purchase their homes.

Are there restrictions for who can apply based on income?

Homeowners whose household income is equal to or less than 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and who are at risk of foreclosure and/or displacement due to financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible to apply (See chart for HERE for AMI by county and household size).

Do I need to live at the property to receive assistance?

Eligible applicants must currently own and occupy the property as their primary residence.

ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE UNDER NYS HAF

What type of assistance is available under the NYS HAF program?

The NYS HAF will provide homeowners who were affected by COVID-19 with several types of support: financial support to address delinquent housing payments, including mortgage payments, property taxes, condo and coop fees, and manufactured home loans or monthly lot rents, that result in an affordable outcome; access to a Call Center and case managers who can help you find out about any mortgage relief you may be entitled to and how it will affect your future housing payments; and referrals to professional housing counselors or legal service providers who are experts in this field.

In all cases, the goal of NYS HAF is to help as many New Yorkers as possible STAY IN THEIR HOMES!

Should I wait for a determination on my NYS HAF application instead of exploring loan modification options with my servicer?

No, you should not wait for a response from NYS HAF instead of exploring loan modification options with your servicer. There is no guarantee that you will receive NYS HAF funds. Furthermore, NYS HAF funds are not meant to replace servicer modification offers (also known as loss mitigation). These options are time-sensitive and expire if they are not taken advantage of promptly. You should not delay speaking with your servicer about modification options. NYS HAF is available only as an alternative when a modification with your servicer is not possible or when a modification is not sufficient to resolve your issue. Failing to explore modification options with your servicer can increase your delinquency and may make it more difficult for you to bring your mortgage current. There is no guarantee that you will be approved for NYS HAF funds, and failing to communicate with your servicer about modification options could result in you not receiving a modification and not receiving NYS HAF funds.

If provided, what can the financial assistance be used for?

The funding can be used to: Pay off mortgage payments that are past due Partially pay down the principal mortgage amount needed to make monthly mortgage payments more affordable Pay off property taxes or sewage and water bills that are past due Pay off past due coop or condo homeowner association or maintenance fees Pay off past due manufactured home loan debt (chattel loan or retail installment contracts) or past due monthly lot rents Cover future housing payments for up to six months if the applicant or an adult member of the household is currently unemployed or has exhausted unemployment benefits

How much financial assistance may be available to homeowners who qualify?

Eligible applicants may apply for the amount that they are behind on payments and/or future housing payments, up to a maximum of: $95,000 for applicants seeking assistance for mortgage reinstatement, principal reduction and/or mortgage forward payments; OR $50,000 for applicants seeking assistance for non-mortgage housing costs only.

My bank offered me a COVID-19 loan modification. Should I take it?

It depends on the new terms and if you can afford your new monthly payments. If you are concerned about your ability to pay your monthly payments, you should apply for NYS HAF. The NYS HAF case managers will help you evaluate any loan modification offer. In addition, NYS HAF may refer you to free expert legal services and housing counseling services to help you decide which option is best for your individual circumstances.

Can I apply for funding to cover upcoming expenses?

Homeowners who are unable to afford their ongoing housing payment obligations AND whose monthly housing costs exceed 50% of gross monthly household income may apply for up to six (6) months of future housing payments.

To qualify, homeowners must be current on their housing obligations or be brought current by NYS HAF and their monthly housing costs must exceed 50% of their monthly household income. Homeowners can receive either Non-Mortgage Forward Payments OR Mortgage Forward Payments, whichever is the greater of the two. The total amount of assistance provided to any applicant through NYS HAF may not exceed $50,000 for applicants seeking assistance on non-mortgage housing costs only or $95,000 for applicants seeking assistance on mortgage or combined mortgage and non-mortgage housing costs.

If you are eligible for Mortgage Forward Payments, NYS HAF will include up to six (6) months of mortgage assistance in your NYS HAF award. If you do not receive communication that includes Mortgage Forward Payments, then NYS HAF has determined that you are ineligible for this assistance. Please visit the Appeals section of the website for information on how to appeal a NYS HAF determination.

Will the assistance need to be paid back?

Financial assistance will be structured as a five-year non-interest bearing, non-amortizing forgivable grant. The grant may be repayable if the homeowner sells, refinances, or transfers ownership of the home within five years of receiving the NYS HAF grant. If no resale, transfer, or refinance occurs within five years and the homeowner remains in the home, the grant will be fully forgiven.

I have tenants in my home who have been unable to pay rent. Can the funds be used to cover this?

Applicants who live in a one- to four-unit home and occupy one of the units as their primary residence (where you reside most of every calendar year), and who rent the non-owner occupied units may apply for NYS HAF provided they can demonstrate a delinquency on their current housing payments (e.g., mortgage, property taxes, etc.).

In these cases, NYS HAF will need to verify if they have already received funding under the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) or the Landlord Rental Assistance Program (LRAP) for back rent. NYS HAF financial assistance will not be granted for missed rent payments already satisfied by ERAP or LRAP.

What is considered a delinquent housing payment?

Under the federal rules for HAF, an applicant must be at least 30 days delinquent on their monthly housing payments (mortgage payments, property taxes, condo or coop fees, etc) at the time of submission of their HAF application. Homeowners who owe current charges only, without any delinquency, are not eligible, with one exception.

If your monthly housing payments are greater than 50% of your monthly household income, then you may apply for up to 6 months of future housing payments.

APPEALS

If I disagree with NYS HAF’s decision about my eligibility or award calculation, can I appeal the decision?

Yes. There are two steps to this process. First, you may request a review of the decision by submitting a Request for Review. In the Request for Review form, you will be asked to describe why you disagree with the program’s decision and attach relevant supporting documentation. The program will review your request and reply within 15 business days.

If your Request for Review is denied, you may request a full appeal by submitting an Appeal form.

Is there a deadline to submit a Request for Review or an Appeal?

Yes. You must submit a Request for Review within 10 business days from the date of the program’s decision. If you submitted a Request for Review and disagree with the determination, you may submit an Appeal form within 10 business days of that decision.

When will I get a response to my Request for Review or Appeal?

We will provide a written response to your Request for Review and/or Appeal within 15 business days of your submission to the program.

The full policy and associated forms are in the NYS HAF Policy Manual.