The Commonwealth of Virginia was awarded $250 million in Covid-19 relief funds from the U.S. Treasury to support homeowners facing housing instability resulting from the pandemic. Now, Virginia Housing’s Virginia Mortgage Relief Program (VMRP) is using these funds to assist eligible Virginians to help prevent and/or ease mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
To be eligible for VMRP assistance, an individual must meet the following eligibility requirements: a homeowner with a primary residence in Virginia; the applicant experienced financial hardship due to the Covid-19 pandemic; the applicant’s household must meet certain maximum income restrictions; the homeowner is seeking assistance with mortgage payments or other eligible housing-related costs; and delinquency must be as a result of missed payments due after January 21, 2020.
Housing obligations as listed below and not due prior to January 21, 2020 are eligible uses of VMRP proceeds: existing first mortgage lien loan payment (principal, interest, taxes and insurance (PITI)), escrow shortages, and servicer corporate advances, subordinate mortgage lien payment (principal and interest) and/or installment payment of government bond second lien for down payment assistance (such as Virginia Housing second deeds of trust for down payment). attached or unattached manufactured or mobile home loan monthly payment (principal and interest). If home loan monthly payment and/or personal property tax are being paid on an unattached manufactured/mobile home, lot rent may also be paid. However, applications for lot rent only are not eligible under VMRP, although they may be under the Virginia Rent Relief Program (RRP). homeowner’s association fees, condominium association fees or common charges, including for a lien extinguishment.
Eligible households must owe less than $30,000 and have no housing expense payments more than 20 months delinquent, whichever is reached first. It may take up to 90 days to process an application. If you think you may reach or exceed these caps within that 90-day period, it is recommended that you discuss available options with your servicer as soon as possible. Reaching either of these caps ($30,000 or 20 months) will make you ineligible for VMRP assistance.
To apply or learn more about VMRP, visit www.VirginiaMortgageRelief.com or call 833-687-8677 (833-OUR-VMRP), Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
