The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was established under Section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and provides more than $676 million in financial assistance to Florida through the United States Department of the Treasury. The state of Florida submitted its HAF plan to the Treasury on August 20, 2021, the program plan was approved on February 09, 2022. For more information about the program, view the Florida Homeowner Assistance Fund Needs Assessment and Plan.
Available Options for Relief
- Mortgage
- Utilities
- Homeowners Insurance
- Property Taxes
- Homeowner/Condo Association Fees
- Internet
Eligible Homeowners
- Must have experienced a financial hardship after, or that continued after, January 21, 2020.
- Must be a Florida homeowner and requesting assistance for their primary residence.
Per U.S. Treasury Guidelines, priority is given to Florida’s most vulnerable homeowners who are defined by the following criteria:
- The annual household income is less than or equal to 100% of the Area Median Income (AMI) (or 100% of the U.S. AMI, whichever is greater); and
- The eligible property is in a census tract with a median income that is less than or equal to the U.S. AMI; and
- The applicant is a Socially Disadvantaged Individual, or the eligible property is in a Florida economically distressed rural county or city.
Registration/Application
- Homeowners can visit the website to complete the first step in determining their eligibility.
- Registration will take 5-10 minutes to complete, and no documentation is required. After registering, the homeowner will receive an email with a confirmation number.
- Potentially eligible homeowners will be invited by prioritization to complete an application. The application can be completed online or at a Customer Assistance Center (locations TBD). The confirmation number received during registration will serve as the reference number for the application.
Required Documentation
At a minimum, applicants will need to provide a U.S.-issued government photo identification. Additional documentation, including, but not limited to: mortgage statement(s), utility statement(s), property tax statement(s), homeowner insurance statement(s), homeowner association statement(s), and internet service statement(s), will be required based on the type of assistance requested.
Payment Process
DEO will disburse HAF financial assistance directly to mortgage lenders/service, land contract holders, manufactured/mobile home lenders, local taxing authorities, property and flood insurance carriers, utility service providers, and internet/broadband service providers. Once a homeowner completes a program application, provides the required documentation, and is approved for the program, the funds will be disbursed to the appropriate party.
For detailed information on the HAF contact the Department of Economic Opportunity at 833-987-8997 or email: HomeownerAssistanceFund@DEO.MyFlorida.com