Is There Still Help Paying Your Mortgage?

What was the Homeowner Assistance Fund?

The Homeowner Assistance Fund A $9.96 billion federal program from the American Rescue Plan Act that helped pandemic-affected homeowners avoid foreclosure through state-run mortgage assistance. Closed to new aid after September 30, 2026. Learn more → , or HAF, came from the American Rescue Plan Act. It put nearly $10 billion toward homeowners facing hardship tied to COVID-19. The money went to states, U.S. territories and tribes, which ran their own programs. It could pay for mortgage payments, homeowner's insurance, utility bills and some other housing costs, though not every program covered every costSourceTreasurySourceCFPB.

Most programs gave grants that didn't have to be paid back, but some could require repayment. Approved money usually went straight to your mortgage company, utility company or repair contractorSourceCFPB.

We looked at how much each state's program had spent before the deadline: HAF money left unspent, by state.

Can I still apply for HAF?

Generally, no. The U.S. Department of the Treasury set September 30, 2026, as the end of the period for HAF awards, and programs can't commit new money after that dateSourceTreasury. A program could close sooner if its money ran outSourceCFPB.

If a program approved you before the deadline, ask it about payments still being processed. Treasury's closeout rules let programs finish paying approved help for costs from before September 30, 2026SourceTreasury. That isn't a new chance to apply.

You may also see September 30, 2025. That's the date in the law that created HAF, which kept its money available until thenSource15 U.S.C. § 9058d. Treasury's deadline for the programs' awards came a year later.

I haven't found a federal program that replaced HAF with new cash for homeowners. Here's what's left.

What mortgage help is left?

Most of it is built into your loan. You ask for it through your mortgage company, the company you send your payment to (your paperwork may call it your servicer The company that collects your monthly mortgage payments. This may not be the same company that originally gave you the loan. Learn more → ), and what you can get depends on who backs your loan. These are changes to how you repay, with conditions. They aren't free money.

• Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. A pause on payments, a deferral of what you missed, or a Flex Modification, which Freddie Mac describes as designed to resolve late payments and help homeowners stay in their homesSourceFreddie Mac. Fannie Mae requires trial payments before a permanent modificationSourceFannie Mae D2-3.2-06.
• FHA loans. For a loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration, HUD lists ways to keep the home that include partial claims, modifications, the two together, and payment supplementsSourceHUD Handbook 4000.1.
• VA loans. The Department of Veterans Affairs says its partial claim program is open. If your VA loan is 61 days past due, VA automatically assigns a loan technician to review itSourceVA.
• USDA guaranteed loans. The lender must consider its standard options, in a set orderSource7 C.F.R. § 3555.303.

The details, loan by loan: pausing your payments and changing your loan. The first step is the same for every loan: what to do when you're behind.

How do I spot a mortgage relief scam?

Scammers make the same few pitches. These are the ones the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the CFPB and a state attorney general warn about:

• They want money up front. It's illegal for a mortgage relief company to charge you anything until it has given you a written offer from your lender and you've accepted it. A lawyer can take an up-front fee only under narrow conditions, and a lawyer working for a company doesn't make the company legitimate or let it charge you firstSourceFTC.
• They tell you to stop talking to your lender. A company that tells you that is breaking the lawSourceFTC.
• They want your payments sent to them. Paying anyone other than your mortgage company is a warning signSourceCFPB. A fake counselor can take your money and never pay your lender, and your loan goes into defaultSourceFTC.
• They rush you. Pressure to act right away, or to sign papers you don't understand, is a warning signSourceCFPB.
• They want you to sign over your deed. Signing over the deed doesn't get rid of the mortgage, so you'd still owe the paymentsSourceFTC. Washington's attorney general describes papers sold as a new loan that actually give the scammers ownership of the home, while the victim still owes the mortgageSourceWashington Attorney General.
• They promise results. A forensic loan audit can't be promised to get you a modification. Even if you sue your lender and win, it doesn't have to change your loan just to make the payments affordable. A reputable lawyer doesn't guarantee resultsSourceFTC.
• They say they're with the government. Real government officials never ask for payment to help youSourceCFPB. Mortgage relief companies have to say in their ads that they're not associated with the government and that the government and your lender haven't approved their servicesSourceFTC.

If something feels off, call your mortgage company yourself, at the number on your monthly statement.