Thread by @asanderford

About to start a @GovRicketts press conference on the new #Nebraska Homeowner Assistance Fund.

Ricketts: We've been working to develop programs to encourage housing opportunities across the state. The NHAF will help people pay their mortgage, property taxes and utility bills. Every state had to create a plan on how to distribute the money they received from the feds.

Ricketts: We submitted our plan Nov. 1. We just got approved last month. Today we're announcing the details of that plan. The Nebraska Housing Assistance Fund will help homeowners impacted by COVID-19.

nebraskahaf.com

Ricketts: You can also access it by calling 844-565-7146. Phone open 8a-5p central on weekdays. This is an important program to help out homeowners (in the way the programs already helped out renters.)

Shannon Harner of NIFA: This program is intended to avoid foreclosures and delinquencies.

Harner: It will help people with past-due mortgage payments, past-due real estate taxes, HOA dues, as well as homeowners and/or flood insurance. It can't be used for utilities, but they'll steer folks to HHS help for that, called LIHEAP. Up to 30k per household.

Harner: You'll need some documentation valid photo ID, property tax statement, verification that the property is your primary residence, a W-9 or W-2 form. Income must be 100 percent of median income in the county where they reside.

Harner: NIFA's website will have YouTube channels and other ways to help people learn how to access the help. Funding will run through Sept. 30, 2025.

Q: What's the breakdown in the money?

A: $50 million, up to 15 percent for admin, 5 percent for housing counselors, etc. $30 mil reinstatement, $6.1 mil for forward mortgage payments, $4.9 mil property tax payments, $1.7 mil housing counselors and legal services.

Harner: If we see we over-allocated in one area, we could apply to Treasury to reallocate.

Nebraska's number of delinquencies is less than other states. But still higher than usual. We had about 18,084 loans that were delinquent in about November.

Harner: Examples of who'd be eligible: Family of 4 in Douglas Co., $87.8k, Family of 4 in Lancaster Co., $82.5k. Covid impact must be proven by reductions in pay, hours, lost jobs, inflationary issues, etc.

Q: State had difficulties getting money out for renters assistance, what makes you think this will go better?

Harner A: There was a little mismatch in funding, but we've had people calling and putting them on the list to contact them for this. One reason I think this will work is we are working with national loan servicers.

Q: What's the value of keeping people in their homes?

Ricketts A: We look at our state, and we've got a nation low 1.7 percent unemployment rate. We know communities are looking to keep people there to work. We know homeownership is a dream or goal for many Americans.

A (continued): We know those people would like to stay in their home. I think it's great for our communities, great for those people, great to keep them in their homes. It went live today.

Q: Why didn't you apply for second round rental funds?

Ricketts A: We don't have the data to show we need the assistance. We just don't see that we have the justification for this. We're not trying to create a welfare state here.

Ricketts A: This program wasn't really that well designed to begin with. We reallocated money to Omaha and Lincoln, Douglas and Lancaster County, adjusted that allocation to where we have more of our renters. If you look at this program, we haven't used half of what's remaining.

Q: Is there a need to reallocate more?

A: We will continue to analyze the program even more. And if there's a need to reallocate, we will do it.

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