The Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program (VHAP) has updated its program terms to allow homeowners that previously received grants from the program to apply again for additional assistance, and has increased the total amount available to households to $40,000.
Administered by Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA), VHAP provides grants towards unpaid late mortgage payments, utility bills, property taxes, and property association charges. As of August 1st, VHAP has adjusted its original maximum assistance limit per household from $30,000 to $40,000. In addition, households that have previously received assistance from VHAP at any time since the program opened can now reapply for additional assistance with the same service provider or for new expenses, up to $40,000 total.
Previously served households that wish to apply for more assistance can log into the applicant portal at vermonthap.vhfa.org using their existing account. Please note that depending on the original application date, applicants may need to recertify their income or provide new bills or other documentation of their expenses.
Launched in January 2022, VHAP has now awarded over $34 million in grants and received applications for an additional $4 million. VHFA makes weekly updates to a dashboard on its website that displays program activity. VHAP anticipates that it has sufficient funding for all previously submitted applications that are currently under eligibility review.
The VHAP portal remains closed to new applications. However, households who have not previously applied can sign up for the waitlist on vermonthap.vhfa.org. If funding becomes available, VHFA will contact people on the wait list individually to let them know if they can submit an application.
If you or someone you know owns their home and is having difficulty paying housing bills due to the pandemic, please visit vermonthap.vhfa.org or call (833) 221-4208. Translation services, application assistance and counseling remain available through local nonprofit partners.
The Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number HAFP-0040 awarded to the State of Vermont by the US Department of the Treasury.