Friends,

On Feb. 14, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) launched the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF), which will help prevent foreclosure and displacements of homeowners due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Homeowner Assistance Fund, established by the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), allocated over $242 million to Michigan to mitigate hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic by providing funds to address:

  • Homeowner mortgage delinquencies.
  • Defaults.
  • Foreclosure.
  • Loss of utilities or home energy services.
  • Displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship on or after Jan. 21, 2020.
  • Homeowners who experience a coronavirus pandemic financial hardship that began before Jan. 21, 2020, but continued after that date.

MSHDA’s online and mobile application portal is currently live. Applicants are able to apply and submit required documentation through the web-based application or may be assisted by a third-party counseling agency or legal aid office. MSHDA also is partnering with Michigan 2-1-1, a nonprofit organization, to serve as a statewide call center to answer questions, provide program details and help homeowners with application submissions.

Funds can provide homeowners relief from the following:

  • Delinquent mortgage/housing expenses, escrow shortages and corporate advances.
  • Delinquent land contract payments, mobile home consumer loan payments or contracted park lot payments.
  • Property taxes.
  • Condominium/homeowners’ association fees.
  • Homeowners insurances, hazard, flood or mortgage insurance.
  • Utilities, gas, electric, water or sewer.
  • Internet broadband services.

Additional program details and updates can be found at Michigan.gov/MIHAF.

If you are in need of any support or resources or have questions regarding legislation or state government in general, please feel free to reach out to me at my office via email at CynthiaAJohnson@house.mi.gov or by calling (517) 373-0844.

In Service,

Cynthia A. Johnson

State Representative

5th House District