“We’re able to help assist them up to $10,000 per household,” she said. “Anyone we can help we’re like, ’Please, come.’
“We’re trying everything we can to get the word out.”
Standards for being assisted by the program include being a Montgomery County homeowner who is behind on mortgage or in a forbearance plan and finds their income affected by COVID-19 via a reduction in income, furlough, unemployment or other such factors.
Such a homeowner also would be paying on an original mortgage amount that is less than $300,000.
Those who meet those benchmarks may apply for grant assistance at www.homeownershipdayton.org/map.
“Someone gets with them within 24 hours to get the process rolling because usually they’re behind,” Williams-Parker said. “It’s like ’Help me now’ and we understand that. We try, within two weeks, to get a check sent to their mortgage company, if we can.”
Surprisingly, the amount of application hasn’t been overwhelming, Williams-Parker said.
“We thought we’d get a lot more, but we haven’t gotten as much as we wanted,” she said.
The HomeOwnership Center is thankful to Montgomery County to providing assistance to aid in relief, Williams-Parker said.
“I see it firsthand, people that are affected and it’s not their fault that COVID happened but they’re falling behind because they lost their job or (their employer) took away some of their hours,” she said.
Those who are are experiencing financial hardship due to credit cards and unsecured debt, may speak with the HomeOwnership Center’s Consumer Credit Counseling Services program by calling 937-853-1600 and requesting an appointment with Rachel.
Williams-Parker said rental assistance and utility assistance is available through Miami Valley Community Action Partnership, which may be reached at 937-341-5000.
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