State expands California Mortgage Relief Program
By Sam Catanzaro
Palisades families earning upwards of $190,000 can qualify for mortgage relief under a new program from the state.
In December 2021, the State launched the California Mortgage Relief Program to provide assistance to homeowners who fell behind on their housing payments due to financial hardships during the pandemic. The program is funded by the 2021 American Rescue Plan. The program is now expanding to help homeowners who may be current on their mortgage payments but are delinquent on property tax payments.
Under the program, administered by the California Housing Finance Agency Homeowner Relief Corporation, eligible homeowners could receive up to $20,000 to cover past-due property tax payments.
There is no cost to apply, and the funds never have to be paid back.
Applicants seeking property tax relief must meet all of the following criteria:
• Faced a pandemic-related financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic after January 21, 2020.
• Household income at or below 100 percent of their county’s Area Median Income.
• Missed one property tax payment before June 13, 2022.
• Only own and occupy one property in California as their primary residence.
• Own a single-family home, condominium, or permanently affixed manufactured home.
In addition, applicants must meet an income requirement, based on the median household income in the county they live in. In Los Angeles County, the median income is as follows for various household sizes:
- Family of one – $125,100
- Family of two – $142,950
- Family of three – $160,800
- Family of four – $178,650
- Family of five – $192,950
To meet the income requirement, an applicant’s household income must be below the median income amount, they may be eligible for funding.
Homeowners can check their eligibility, apply for property tax relief, and obtain information in several additional languages at https://CaMortgageRelief.org.
