PHFA Launches Dashboard for Real-Time Totals on COVID-19 Aid

With so many homeowners struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has been assisting via the Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund.

The PAHAF, which falls under the PHFA, recently released a dashboard with real-time totals of the commonwealth’s homeowner relief program for individuals who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The dashboard includes details like the number of applications summited, the number of applications approved, the number of applications that have been approved and disbursed and the total funding that has been disbursed. Additionally, you can check out trends with the program over time, whether you’d like to see the last seven days, previous 30 days or the number total. Visitors to the site can also sort by county and priority group to see what is happening in your community.

The number of applications has been steadily increasing since the start of the program on Feb. 1, when 2,201 applications were submitted, compared to April 21, when 7,800 were summitted.

How is someone eligible for PAHAF? A person may apply if they own and occupy their home in Pennsylvania as their primary residence, the property must be a single-family, row home, condominium unit, cooperatives or a manufactured/mobile home. The owner must have experienced a financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic after Jan. 21, 2020 (including a hardship that began before Jan.21, 2020, and continued after that date). The homeowner cannot receive the same assistance for mortgage payment, mortgage reinstatement, property charges and/or utility payment from another federal, state, local, nonprofit or tribal source. Additionally, their household income is equal to or less than 150% area median income and the homeowner’s first mortgage is a conforming loan and meets the federal limits for the year in which the loan was taken.