NC Homeowner Assistance Fund Delays Causing Problems Like Homelessness

NC Homeowner Assistance Fund Delays Explained

The NC Homeowner Assistance Fund recently published a data dashboard tracking the progress of mortgage assistance applications. According to the dashboard, more than 25% of the pending applications come from the Charlotte area.

This is nothing new when you look at the history of the program. Since May 2022, the assistance fund has failed multiple people, failing to deliver mortgage help on time. The fund is designed to provide financial assistance to homeowners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Several Disheartened Homeowners Impacted

One couple, Jack Lester and Sandra Carpenter are still waiting on a decision for their application. In 2020, Lester contracted COVID-19, which left him in the hospital for three months. For those three months, Lester could not work as a pastor or security detail. The pandemic also affected Carpenter, who works in security.

Carpenter and her husband applied for the fund in May. Today, she owes nearly $8,000 in mortgage payments.

While pending applications are slowly decreasing, it remains to be seen whether the fund can keep up with the onslaught of foreclosures that are bound to happen as thousands of homeowners await payments.

Making Progress

Rep. Nasif Majeed has taken it upon himself to seek answers as to why there have been NC Homeowner Assistance Fund delays. Majeed spoke with the executive director of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, and their conversation revealed that the agency is now making adjustments to speed up the process.

One of the things the agency is doing to get the program back on track is releasing partial payments. Many residents have applied for multiple types of assistance. And instead of verifying all types before issuing a payment, the agency is now releasing amounts as each debt is verified.

The state’s contractor, Innovative Emergency Management, hired 13 managers to work on pending cases. IEM is now concentrating on the oldest applications and working on the latest ones.