DOVER, Del. - The Delaware State Housing Authority announced updates to the Delaware Mortgage Relief Program, which provides financial assistance to homeowners who are at risk of displacement due to unpaid mortgage payments and property charges.
Updates include increasing the total assistance amount from $40,000 to $50,000 per household and offering future monthly mortgage payment assistance for up to six months in addition to mortgage reinstatement or imminent risk of delinquency. The authority is also removing the requirement of 30-day mortgage delinquency, so now homeowners without a delinquent mortgage are eligible to apply for the program.
Since June 2022, the Delaware Mortgage Relief Program has distributed nearly $11 million to over 1,100 households. The average amount of assistance is almost $9,500, and the money can be used for mortgage payments, tax/chattel/land lease delinquency, water and sewer, HOA or condo fees, homeowner insurance delinquency, and lot rent for manufactured housing.
The program also partners with local housing organizations to provide application assistance and ongoing financial planning support. These groups include Legal Services Corporation Delaware, First State Community Action Agency in Georgetown, Telamon Corporation in Milton, and NeighborGood Partners in Georgetown and Dover along with a few other groups that offer housing counseling services in northern Delaware.
"At DSHA, we are committed to continuous improvement so that we can better serve the people of our state," said Eugene Young, Jr., director of the Delaware State Housing Authority. "These new updates and partnerships will make positive, lifelong impacts for homeowners, their families, and Delaware neighborhoods."
Homeowners can check their eligibility and apply for the program at demortgagehelp.com.