RIHousing: Homeowner Assistance Fund RI (HAF-RI) Program Suspended

The federally-funded HAF-RI program has been a lifeline to Rhode Island homeowners struggling as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, we've received more than 2,830 applications for assistance from Rhode Island homeowners across the state.

As of today, we have suspended the program to new applicants due to the high volume of applications received outpacing the available funds. The decision to suspend the program was not an easy one. But we did not want to continue to accept applications from homeowners that we do not have the resources to assist through the HAF-RI program. This is especially important since homeowners who cannot be assisted should not delay in pursuing other loss mitigation options that may be available to them.

Resources Available to Homeowners

We recognize that you may receive inquiries from community members, constituents and others who may have questions about the HAF-RI program's suspension or need assistance with their mortgage and/or other household expenses.

We have updated our website to share available resources and information for homeowners seeking assistance. For homeowners struggling to make their mortgage payments and/or facing foreclosure, there are several options available to assist them:

• Contact a HUD-approved housing counselor or the RIHousing HelpCenter today. The sooner a homeowner reaches out, the more options they may have. Housing counselors work with homeowners and their lender to review and identify available options to avoid foreclosure. Options may include loan modifications, work-out agreements, repayment plans and/or referral to RI Legal Services.
• Talk to their servicer about opportunities to restructure their mortgage.
• Contact Community Action Agencies (CAP) about available utility assistance. Click here for a list of CAP agencies in Rhode Island.

While we have had to suspend the program, we are proud that the months of planning, outreach marketing and engagement undertaken prior to the program's launch on January 10, 2022 resulted in Rhode Island homeowners having the resources and information needed for them to be able to submit an application quickly. In fact, in the first five days of the program being opened, over 1,020 applications were submitted.

If you are interested in learning more about the status of applications and who the program is serving, please visit our online HAF-RI Data Dashboard (click here).

Thank you for your partnership in helping get the word out about this important program.

Courtesy of RIHousing