St. Louis County Offers Mortgage Help With HomeHelpMN Program

The effects of the pandemic have been felt by many in a variety of different ways. Some homeowners have found themselves struggling to make ends meet - especially with their mortgage. That's why St. Louis County officials are encouraging them to look into a new program that's available.

The program is called HomeHelpMN and it's being offered through the assistance of Minnesota Housing. The aim of the program is to help homeowners who are experiencing trouble making their mortgage payments due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

According to details shared by St. Louis County, the mortgage payers financial hardship must be "related to COVID-19....[as] either a loss of income or an increase in living expenses as a result of the pandemic since January 21, 2020."

The HomeHelpMN program can assist those who qualify in a variety of different ways. The funds can "be used for past-due eligible housing expenses". Examples of those qualifying expenses include "mortgage and/or contract for deed payments, property taxes. manufactured and mobile home loans and/or lot rent payments, certain insurance, and more".

There are some basic requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for the HomeHelpMN program:

Applicants must own and live in their own home
That home must be in Minnesota and be listed as the applicants "primary residence"

Applicants also need to fall below the listed income limits. For households in St. Louis County - up to and including four individuals, that income cap is $90,000 a year. For a family of five, that limit is $92,500. The complete income limit table for the State of Minnesota - broken out by county - is available by clicking here.

The homeowner assistance program has a maximum distribution amount. "The maximum amount of financial assistance from HomeHelpMN is $35,000 per household." Distributions are "paid directly to the business or entity owed on behalf of the individual who applies".

Signing up is a relatively easy process. Interested individuals can fill out the necessary information at homehelpmn.org. Additional questions can be directed at 1-800-388-3226.