Florida: Three Hardest-Hit Fund Programs to End on January 31

Florida Housing Distributes Funding Two Years Ahead of Schedule

TALLAHASSEE, FL – On January 31, 2018, Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) will close three Florida Hardest-Hit Fund (HHF) programs. Applications for the Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program, Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Program, and Principal Reduction Program completed on or before the deadline will be reviewed for eligibility.

The Florida HHF programs concluding are as follows:

• Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program (UMAP), which provides up to 12 months of payments (with a cap of $24,000) to assist homeowners who are unemployed, underemployed or have suffered a financial hardship due to death, divorce or disability.
• Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Program (MLRP), which provides up to $25,000 assistance to reinstate a delinquent mortgage.
• Principal Reduction Program (PR), which provides up to a $50,000 principal reduction for homeowners who are underwater on their mortgage.

”Although these programs were originally scheduled to end in 2020, we are able to distribute these funds well ahead of schedule,” said Trey Price, executive director for Florida Housing. ”With only a few more days left before the January 31 deadline, I encourage qualified homeowners to apply.”

As of December 31, 2017, 48,584 Florida families have received assistance through HHF programs. Distributing the funds two years ahead of schedule, Florida Housing has disbursed 92.19 percent of the $1.135 billion HHF funds allocated by the US Department of Treasury (Treasury).

Florida’s innovative HHF programs have assisted in the recovery from the housing crisis since the program’s inception in 2010. A report by CoreLogic shows that from April 2011 to October 2017, Florida’s foreclosure rate has drastically decreased from 12.47 percent to 0.91 percent, and the state’s unemployment rate during the same timeframe went from 10.10 percent to 3.6 percent.

HHF Program Stats and Testimonials

• Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program (UMAP) – As of December 31, 2017, UMAP has assisted 19,432 Floridians.
• Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Program (MLRP) – As of December 31, 2017, MLRP has assisted 19,328 Floridians.
• Principal Reduction Program (PR) – As of December 31, 2017, PR has assisted 6,440 Floridians.

Homeowners who have successfully completed the program say of the experience: ”This program changed my life;” ”It’s a burden off my shoulders;” ”It’s easy to do;” and, ”They worked with me by step-by-step.”

To hear more participants discuss their experience click here.

Those interested in applying for the UMAP or MLRP programs, visit www.flhardesthithelp.org.

Those interested in applying for PR program, visit www.principalreductionflhhf.org.

For more information on Florida Housing, visit www.floridahousing.org.

Media Contacts:
Taylore Maxey
Taylore.Maxey@floridahousing.org
850-488-4197

Jacqui Sosa Peters
Jacqueline.Peters@floridahousing.org
850-488-4197

Related Media Coverage

Florida Housing Finance Corporation ending 3 ‘Hardest-Hit Fund’ programs

Mildred Holton of Lakeland belongs to one of the 48,584 Florida families receiving assistance through the Hardest Hit Programs. (Stephanie Claytor, staff)