Housing: Rent, Mortgage & Home Improvement

There are federal and state programs available to help you with resources to get government money for buying a home, rent and mortgage assistance and home repair and improvement. 

These links will get you started:

• Hardest Hit Fund (HHF)  offers mortgage payment assistance for unemployed or underemployed homeowners:
• If you are unemployed, MHA's Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP) may (depending on your situation) reduce your mortgage payments to 31 percent of your income or suspend them altogether for 12 months or more: Home Affordable Unemployment Program (UP)

Here are some other government programs which may offer financial assistance:

• The Making Home Affordable Program - More than a million homeowners have been helped by MHA programs. Homeowners in MHA modifications (HAMP) are typically saving more than $500 each month. And now, there are new opportunities for help. If you’re having a tough time making your monthly mortgage payments. (MHA)
• Resource for Rent Assistance- Click here for assistance with credit repair for renters, home loans, renters insurance, cable and internet deals, and so much more! (sponsored listing)
• The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Cash for Keys - If foreclosure is imminent, and you are considering a deed in lieu of foreclosure, some lenders are willing to offer “Cash for Keys,” whereby the lender will actually pay you to vacate the home in a timely fashion. The money you receive in exchange is intended to pay for your relocation costs.
• The HAFA Program – The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program is for borrowers who, although eligible for the government Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), are not able to secure a permanent loan modification or cannot avoid foreclosure. HAFA provides protection and money to eligible borrowers who decide to do a Short Sale or a Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure. (HAFA)
• The FEMA Housing Portal: helps individuals and families, who have been displaced by a disaster, find a place to live. The portal consolidates rental resources identified and provided by federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Veterans Administration (VA), private organizations, and the public, to help individuals and families find available rental units in their area. (FEMA Housing)