According to Tuesday’s announcement by state housing commissioner Jennifer Ho, Minnesota homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak now have extra time to request for government financial relief.
Ho said the state’s HomeHelpMN program, which has been assisting residents with housing-related costs since May, has been extended and expanded since recent patterns suggest higher rates of eviction and foreclosure for those afflicted by the infectious disease.
The government has increased the aid threshold from $35,000 to $50,000 and will now accept past-due charges incurred before Jan. 21, 2020 in addition to extending the application deadline.
4,688 households have requested aid thus far, with a $11,000 average amount. Ho projected that up to 25,000 homeowners who are income qualified but have not yet requested assistance may do so.
Federal emergency monies that Congress granted last year are used to support the program. Ho said Minnesota has received $128 million for the program and will keep taking applications as long as money is still available.
Applying is available to Minnesotans at HomeHelpMN.org or by calling 1-800-388-3226.
The state’s financial assistance program for renters, RentHelpMN, was terminated last spring. Prior to the program’s closure, the housing agency paid $449 million in assistance and received 101,680 applications.
