The County will provide up to $7,500 in foreclosure prevention assistance to qualified Leon County residents to bring current the existing first mortgage for their primary residence.  Assistance will be approved for the amount required to bring the mortgage current after other relief measures have been exhausted, credit counseling, and refinancing costs, where applicable. Applicants will be considered on a first come, first qualified basis.

Eligibility

• Applicant must be delinquent at least 60 days, and have received notification in writing from their lender that the foreclosure proceedings have been initiated.
   

• Applicants must be the property owner(s) and the property for which assistance is being requested must be their primary residence.
   

• Property types include: single family homes, condos and town homes. Mobile homes are ineligible.
   

• The market value of the home for which foreclosure prevention assistance is being requested cannot exceed $204,000.
   

• Applicant(s) being qualified as extremely low, very low, low, or moderate income at the time foreclosure assistance is requested.
   

• Applicant must provide proof of residency in the unincorporated area of Leon County.

• Applicant flow chart, see below

• Leon County Proviso Income Table, see below

Additional Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants are eligible to receive foreclosure prevention assistance once.
   

• Applicant(s) must have received in writing, from their lender, a denial of default resolution, forbearance, or payment arrangement.
   

• Applicant(s) must be credit worthy or must be enrolled in budgeting, credit repair, credit counseling, and foreclosure prevention courses, and must have sufficient income required to maintain their mortgage after foreclosure assistance is received.
   

• The applicant will be required to demonstrate the steps they are taking to resolve their situation.
   

• If approved to receive assistance, the applicant(s) must demonstrate: 
  
  a. Their ability to keep the mortgage payments current.
   
  b. The enrollment in a credit counseling / credit repair / budgeting / foreclosure prevention course(s) offered by an approved local provider and obtain a “certificate of completion” in each.

• Applicant(s) must demonstrate proof of Extraordinary Hardship.  Assistance will be provided where an extraordinary hardship exists and has been demonstrated through adequate documentation, resulting in the delinquency on the first mortgage.  If the applicant(s) has a variable rate mortgage, they must agree to modify or refinance to a fixed rate mortgage.
   
  • Extraordinary Hardship is defined as situations such as:
     
  • Loss of employment, through no fault of the applicant; however, the applicant has regained employment or can demonstrate program approved income.
     

  • Substantial decrease in the household income, through no fault of the applicant(s).
     
  • Temporary or permanent disability that reduces income.
     
  • Changes in the household composition that reduces income.
     
  • Demonstrated medical hardship.
     
  • Weather events such as fire, hurricane, or other natural disaster, resulting in unforeseen home repair bills not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA).
     
  • Substantial increase to the mortgage payment due to participation in an adjustable rate mortgage.
     
  • Substantial increase to payments due to escrow shortages.

  Please call the Leon County Housing Department at (850) 606-1900 for more information.