The office of U.S. Rep. David Scott of the Georgia 13th Congressional District distributed a press release announcing a fund to provide aid to homeowners impacted by the pandemic, who have gotten behind in mortgage or utilities.

Here is the press release, reprinted in its entirety:

WASHINGTON – Last month, Congressman David Scott, (GA-13) and Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Christopher Nunn announced the launch of the Georgia Homeowner Assistance Fund, a $354 million stimulus fund to help homeowners impacted by the pandemic with mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and past-due utilities.

[Click here to watch Congressman David Scott’s Remarks on the $354 million Georgia Homeowner Assistance Fund]

Administered by Georgia’s DCA, the GA Homeowner Assistance Fund is financed by Congressman David Scott’s bill H.R.  1710, legislation included in the American Rescue Plan Act signed into law last year which offered a $10 billion lifeline in federal funding for states to launch robust Homeowner Assistance Programs as a core part of the nation’s COVID-19 relief response.

“For millions across the country and thousands right here in metro-Atlanta struggling to make ends meet and stay afloat on their mortgage payments due to COVID-19, help is here,” said Congressman David Scott. “Over the past few months, I have worked closely alongside Commissioner Christopher Nunn and community partners to connect Georgia homeowners in crisis with their share of the $10 billion Homeownership Assistance Fund I secured in the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan. With today’s launch of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ new homeowners’ assistance portal, thanks to our federal-state collaboration, Georgia’s working and middle-class homeowners who had a stroke of bad luck last year due to COVID-19 will be able to remain in the communities they love.” 

DCA’s commissioner echoed Scott’s sentiments. “We are excited to announce this fund.  As the state’s housing agency, DCA is responsible for a myriad of affordable statewide housing programs, including the housing choice voucher program, development of affordable housing using tax credits, and the Georgia Dream program which has helped 7,050 first-time homebuyers achieve their dream of homeownership,” Nunn said. “Modeled on federal guidelines and similarly aligned with a program that DCA administered following the Great Recession, this program will target what our data suggest is approximately 2.8% of Georgians or more than 35,000 households that are more than 90 days delinquent on their mortgage payments,” he added.

Homeowners may visit georgiamortgageassistance.ga.gov to apply. Applicants must provide a driver’s license, a mortgage statement, and tax returns and/or income verification documents. For more information, contact DCA at haf@dca.ga.gov or at 1.877.519.4443. Full press conference available here.