COVID-19 Iowa Homeowner Foreclosure Prevention Program

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Assistance for Homeowners COMING SOON!

Mortgage payment assistance for income-eligible homeowners impacted by COVID-19 who were at risk of foreclosure.

The program is anticipated to open for applications in March.

Available Assistance

Mortgage Payment Assistance
Mortgage assistance for up to four months (this can include up to two months in arrears) beginning with April 1, 2020 mortgage payment, ($3,600 maximum).

Eligibility

Current homeowners
At risk of foreclosure due to a documented COVID-19-related loss of income on or after March 13, 2020
Household income may not exceed: 80% Area Median Income (AMI) at time of application

Required Documentation

Pay stub or other documentation prior to and after loss of income
Latest mortgage statement

Legal Assistance

If you are at imminent risk of foreclosure and need legal assistance, Iowa Legal Aid may be able to assist you at no cost.

Phone: 1-800-532-1275 | Online Help

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I received mortgage assistance in 2020 through the previous Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program. Am I eligible to apply for assistance through the new program?

Yes. Homeowners who received mortgage assistance through the previous Iowa Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Program are eligible to apply for the new Iowa Homeowner Foreclosure Prevention Program. In addition, any funds received through the 2020 program do not count towards the household’s maximum assistance amount of $3,600 under the new program.

2. How will payments be made?

Once an application is approved, a single, one-time payment will be issued directly to the mortgage servicer.

3. Am I guaranteed assistance once I apply?

No, an application is not a guarantee of assistance. Eligible applicants will receive assistance if funding is available. Complete applications are reviewed on a first come, first ready to proceed basis. Only fully completed applications that provide all required documentation will be reviewed for eligibility.

Applicants who receive a notice of incomplete application with instructions to provide missing information must successfully provide all necessary information to move their application forward. Funding will not be reserved for incomplete applications. Applicants who fail to provide all required information or are found ineligible based on the program’s requirements will not receive assistance.

Applications that could be considered eligible may not receive assistance if funding is no longer available under the program based on demand.

4. What types of mortgages are eligible for assistance through the program?

The applicant must be an owner of record, title or interest.

Eligible:
Government insured or conventional mortgages
Mortgages through Habitat for Humanity affiliates

Ineligible:
Manufactured home loans
Contract sales

5. My household has received other mortgage assistance from a local, state or federal program, can I still apply?

Yes. your household may still apply to and receive assistance from the Iowa Homeowner Foreclosure Assistance Program, so long as the assistance is not for the same month(s) mortgage payment for which the other assistance was applied.

6. What should I do if I realize I made a mistake in my application after submission?

Please do not submit another application since duplicate applications will only slow the review process. Instead, email the housing recovery team explaining the error and providing the correct information. Be sure to include your first and last name and complete address in the email and enter the subject line of your email as “FORECLOSURE APPLICATION CORRECTION.”

8. What is the difference between Eviction Prevention and Foreclosure Prevention?

Eviction Prevention helps a tenant prevent eviction through rental assistance payments made directly to the tenant’s landlord. Foreclosure Prevention helps a homeowner avoid foreclosure through mortgage assistance payments made directly to the homeowner’s mortgage loan servicer.

9. I applied for assistance under the state’s COVID-19 Homeowner Foreclosure Prevention Program. Why am I being contacted by another agency?

IFA has contracted with partner organizations to provide administrative support under the program and may contact applicants to request follow-up information.

10. Will funds received through a state COVID-19 relief program be taxed as income?

More information will be forthcoming as guidance becomes available in regard to state taxes for other COVID-19 relief programs. Please reference the Internal Revenue Service Guidance for information on federal taxes as they relate to COVID-19 relief funds.

11. What can I do while I wait to receive a response to my application?

Log into your application at any time to check its review status.
We also recommend that you check your email inbox frequently (at least daily), including the spam folder, to make sure you are seeing, and responding to, any communications that may have been sent by the program administrator handling your application, as well as emails from the Iowa Finance Authority.

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