Information for Homeowners and Servicers

Information for Homeowners

The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) is a federally-funded housing assistance program for Massachusetts homeowners impacted by COVID-19. It was created to provide funds to eligible homeowners for housing-related costs such as mortgages and property expenses.

The Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) is administering HAF and working with third-party vendors to manage the program's on-line administration systems for mortgage servicers.

If you are a homeowner looking for mortgage help, please apply for assistance by visiting www.massmortgagehelp.org (the official Massachusetts web site for the Homeowner Assistance Fund).

Apply Now for HAF Assistance

After June 30, 2023, Mass HAF will no loner accept new applications. Beginning on July 1, 2023, the state-funded Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT) program will become available to low-income homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure. At that time, eligible homeowners may apply for RAFT through the Department of Housing and Community Development's Emergency Housing Payment Assistance Portal.

Access the Emergency Housing Payment Assistance Portal

Information for Servicers

This web page provides basic information to mortgage servicers about HAF, including training opportunities and the Massachusetts HAF Collaboration Agreement mortgage servicers must fill out and email to MHP along with this onboarding form to participate in the program. Here is a list of mortgage servicers who have signed up and have begun the onboarding process.

First steps for Mortgage Servicers

Mortgage servicers interested in participating in the Massachusetts HAF Program should take the following first steps:

Read the FAQ: The FAQ for mortgage servicers provides an overview of the Homeowner Assistance Fund program, what mortgage servicers have to do to participate and basic information that mortgage servicers should know when speaking with homeowners applying for the program. Mortgage servicers should also review the HAF outreach letter to borrowers. The HAF one-pager and other resources to communicate with borrowers will be available shortly.

Complete & return HAF Collaboration Agreement: The Massachusetts HAF Collaboration Agreement is now available. Mortgage servicers should complete the agreement and email it to masshaf@mhp.net along with a completed Mass HAF onboarding form.

Mass HAF Webinar/Trainings: The mortgage servicers introductory trainings provide information about the program's design and goals, homeowner eligibility and eligible uses of funds. It also discusses the role of the mortgage servicer, including registering for the program, using the online portal, required documentation, data exchange, communication and the service level collaboration agreement.

• Power point: Mass HAF Overview for Servicers
• Video: Mass HAF Overview for Servicers training video
• Participation: List of participating mortgage servicers

Role of Mortgage Servicers

Mortgage servicers will play a critical role in the success of the Massachusetts HAF Program. Working with third-party vendors, MHP will establish an online self-service portal for mortgage servicers to participate in the HAF Program. This portal - known as the Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) - will allow mortgage servicers to exchange loan-level information with MHP and its vendor. Read the FAQ for mortgage servicers for more information about FAMS.

Providers will be able to submit their onboarding information, service agreements, and payment information, as well as set up a secure File Transfer Protocol (FTP) channel to send/receive Common Data Files (CDF).

Homeowner Eligibility

To qualify for HAF assistance, homeowners will need to complete an application and demonstrate that they:

• Have experienced a COVID-related impact to their finances on or after Jan. 21, 2020 that caused them to miss regular mortgage payments. The hardship could include job loss, reduction in income, reduction in hours worked, increased costs due to healthcare, increased costs due to the need to care for family members, or other issues which have impacted the household’s income.
• Are owner-occupants of a single-family home, condominium or 2- 3- or 4-family home located in Massachusetts. (Funds may not be used for owner-occupied properties of five or more units, investor-owned properties, or vacation homes.)
• Are using the home as their primary residence
• Have an income equal to or less than 150 percent of Area Median Income (this differs by region and household size).
• Have a conforming loan and not a jumbo loan (loan limits vary by region)

Additionally, the initial phase of the program will require homeowners to be behind or have missed three months of mortgage payments.

Eligible Uses of Funds

HAF assistance may be used in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, the following:

• To bring a homeowner’s loan current (pay outstanding monthly mortgage payments)
• To pay for outstanding escrow items (taxes, insurance, condominium fees, municipal charges like water, sewer, natural gas, or electric that might be subject to a lien on one’s property, etc.), and to fund a shortage that may exist in a homeowner’s escrow account

More Information

HAF was created by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and is being administered by the US Treasury. The Massachusetts HAF Program is being administered by MHP and the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MassHousing) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office for Administration and Finance (A&F), Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED), Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), and the Massachusetts Division of Banks (the Division).

For more information, email MassHAF@mhp.net.