Wyoming Homeowner Assistance Fund Program (HAF)

The Wyoming Department of Family Services cautions households to be wary of potential mortgage scams wanting personal financial information or asking you to pay upfront fees or transfer the deed of your home. The Wyoming Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) doesn’t charge fees for assistance. The majority of official correspondence from the HAF Program will come from NoReplyWYOHAF@wyo.gov (an automated email) or homeowner.assistance@wyo.gov. According to the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, mortgage loan modification scams are schemes to take your money – often by making a false promise of saving you from foreclosure. The Federal Trade Commission explains that these scammers promise they’ll get changes to your loan so you can keep your home but they want you to pay them an upfront fee before helping you. Don’t pay an upfront fee. It’s illegal for a company to charge you upfront fees for promises to help you get relief on paying your mortgage.

RESOURCES

• • Federal Trade Commission: Mortgage Relief Scams

• • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: What are mortgage loan modification scams?

You will receive an email notification when your application has been approved.

Please contact Liberty Smith, HAF Program Manager, directly at (307)-777-3737 or email homeowner.assistance@wyo.gov. Calls will be sent to voicemail and returned as soon as possible.

The time it takes to review HAF applications can vary, as each case is unique. The processing duration depends on the type of assistance requested, the responsiveness of your mortgage lender, the promptness of document submissions, and the overall volume of applications received.

Estimated review times:

• Forward Mortgage or Utility Only (No Delinquency): Expect a review period of approximately 3 to 4 weeks if no additional information is required.
• Delinquent Mortgage Cases: These require verification from your mortgage lender. The typical processing time is about 3 to 6 weeks. This includes 3 to 4 weeks for initial review and up to an additional 30 days for lender verification. Final decisions are dependent on receiving a response from your lender.
• Cases Requiring Additional Information: Typically, these can take about 3 to 5 weeks to process.

All payments will be made directly to the servicer, county treasurer, insurance company or  homeowners association (HOA) on behalf of the homeowner.

Wyoming homeowners must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Must not have received a previous HAF award. This is a one-time application. Any eligible clients who received HAF payments in the past cannot apply.
• Must own a property in Wyoming, including those on the Wind River Reservation.
• Must currently occupy the property as the primary residence.
• Must have a total annual household income at or below 150% of the area median income. Income eligibility depends on how many people live in your household and the county you live in. Your household income needs to be at or below what is in the table. See table below.
• Must have experienced a COVID-related financial hardship after January 21, 2020.

IF APPLYING FOR MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE:

• The loan must be the first lien on the property. Partial claim assistance may be a subordinate lien.
• The homeowner must not intend to sell the property within six (6) months of receiving assistance.
• REVERSE MORTGAGES: Homeowners with reverse mortgages cannot apply for mortgage assistance but can apply for assistance with past due payments of utilities, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and homeowners association dues.

 Eligible properties include:

• Single-family (attached or detached), including manufactured homes permanently affixed to property and taxed as real estate
• Condominium units
• 1 to 4-unit properties where the homeowner is living in one of the units as their primary residence
• Mobile homes permanently affixed to real property

The HAF Program will provide up to $35,000 in assistance as a one-time award paid to servicers or vendors on behalf of eligible homeowners to cover:

• MORTGAGE DELINQUENCY: Financial assistance to help reinstate a mortgage or to pay other housing-related costs related to a period of forbearance, delinquency, or default. 
• PARTIAL CLAIMS: Assistance to pay off a portion or all of a partial claim. Partial claim must have been received after Jan. 21, 2020 due to a COVID financial hardship.
• FORWARD MORTGAGE: Up to 3 consecutive months of forward mortgage payments. Delinquencies will be prioritized over forward mortgage payments.
• PAST DUE OTHER EXPENSES: Utilities include electricity, energy costs (fuel, oil & propane), water and sewer. (Internet costs are not an eligible expense.) Other housing-related expenses include property taxes, homeowners insurance or homeowner association dues.

PRIORITY WILL BE AS FOLLOWS: Mortgage reinstatement, partial claim assistance, delinquent “other expenses” then forward mortgages. Mortgage delinquency will be prioritized over other past due expenses.

Yes, the HAF Program will provide up to $35,000 in assistance as a one-time award paid to vendors on behalf of eligible homeowners to cover.

• PAST DUE UTILITY PAYMENTS: Electricity, energy costs (fuel, oil & propane), water and sewer. (Internet costs are not an eligible expense.)
• UNPAID HOUSING-RELATED BILLS: Property taxes, homeowners insurance or homeowner association dues.

Ongoing payments are for up to 3 months of consecutive forward mortgage assistance only. Forward month payments are made each month after the applicant provides the monthly statement. The HAF Program is a one-time award paid to the mortgage servicer or vendor on behalf of the homeowner for past due payments only. Homeowners should be prepared to resume their monthly payments going forward.

No. HAF funds cannot be used for reimbursement. Payments are sent directly to the servicer or vendor on your behalf.

We recognize that housing will continue to be a big issue confronting Wyoming after the HAF Program closes. While the state doesn't have mortgage assistance dollars, there are resources available for struggling households.

• Wyoming 211: We encourage those in need to register with Wyoming 211, a statewide helpline providing free, confidential information and referrals. By dialing 211 or visiting the website, wyoming211.org, from anywhere in the state, households can find information about local resources.
• DFS local offices: Contact one of the 28 Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) field offices located in every county.  Each local DFS office has a list of services and assistance available in each county.
• DFS assistance programs: DFS has several assistance programs open to eligible households such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP). Additional information can be found on the DFS website: dfs.wyo.gov

Housing educators are also available to assist you. 

My Front Door
Phone Number: (307) 514-5831

Wyoming Housing Network
Email: info@whninc.org
Phone Number: (307) 472-5843

Homeowners should be prepared to provide the following documentation (additional documentation may also be requested):

• Copy of government-issued photo ID.
• 2023, or most recent, tax return or most recent two (2) months of paystubs for all adult household members (aged 18+).
• Proof of home ownership (such as the most recent property tax statement).
• Attest to a COVID related material decrease in income or increase in expenses.

Depending on what assistance is being applied for, homeowners will need the following:

• Copies of past due bills.
• UTILITIES: A recent utility statement showing the applicant or household member’s name, mailing address, the service address, and the dates of service. 
• MORTGAGE: Most recent mortgage statement. 
• PARTIAL CLAIMS: Partial claim document.

Depending on your financial situation, homeowners may need the following:

• BANKRUPTCY: If you have filed for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy letter will need to be signed by your attorney or servicer to ensure the servicer will accept HAF payments. Download the letter.
• HOUSING EDUCATION: If a homeowner owes more than $17,000 in arrears or cannot make payments moving forward, the HAF Program will require them to do housing education. The purpose of this letter is to notify the HAF Program that the client has successfully completed the required housing. Download the form.

If a homeowner owes more than $17,000 in arrears or cannot make payments moving forward, the HAF Program will require them to do housing education.

• In order to complete this housing education requirement, an applicant will schedule an education session with the housing educator of their choice. The Confirmation screen at the end of the application will provide the link to schedule this education session.
• The funds requested will be held for 15 business days in order to give the applicant time to complete the housing education requirement.
• The housing educators will fill out the completion form with the applicant at the end of the housing education. The housing educators will then send the completed form to the HAF case managers. Download the form.

If you have filed for bankruptcy, the bankruptcy letter will need to be signed by your attorney or servicer to ensure HAF payments will be accepted. Download the letter.

If a homeowner hasn't submitted all the correct documentation, the HAF Program will reach out to them. That being said, having the correct information and documentation helps make the application review process go faster. 

• Check email regularly: All correspondence will come from NoReplyWYOHAF@wyo.gov.  It is important for homeowners and vendors to add this email to their contact list to avoid missing important emails. If they do not see anticipated emails in their inbox, they should check their spam folder.
• Respond to HAF phone calls: All phone calls will come from 1-877-996-4237.  There may be numerous reasons a HAF staff member is reaching out to homeowners.

Yes, the HAF program will cover partial claims but not deferral payments.

You cannot sell your home within 6 months of receiving HAF funds. When applying, you will have to attest to this.

Although the impact of COVID-19 is waning, the federal eligibility requirements still require applicants to have experienced a COVID-related financial hardship to be approved for funding. The HAF Program application requires applicants to select financial hardships they or their family members have experienced since Jan. 1, 2020. These include:

• Job loss due to COVID-19 or its impacts
• Job furlough due to COVID-19 or its impacts
• Reduced hours due to COVID-19, resulting in take-home pay

Applicants must then briefly describe the relationship between the selected hardships and the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, an increase in medical expenses has to be tied to COVID-19, not another illness.

No, Wyoming’s program is not requiring a servicer participation agreement or common data file. A servicer participation agreement will be an option if the servicer would like one in place. Data exchange will be done through a secure email.

All servicers must be enrolled as a vendor with the State of Wyoming to receive payments on behalf of homeowners. To enroll as a vendor with the State of Wyoming, or to update your existing enrollment information, please visit the Wyoming State Auditor’s vendor webpage at https://sao.wyo.gov/vendors. Complete the required documentation and mail or email completed documents to:

HAF Program
2300 Capitol Avenue, 3rd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82001

Liberty Smith
liberty.smith@wyo.gov

The federal homeowner assistance fund identifies homeowners as the fund beneficiaries. Homeowners will apply to the program individually and HAF funds will be awarded based on an eligibility determination for that individual homeowner. Funds will then be paid to the servicer on the homeowner’s behalf.

No. Homeowners and servicers are not required to conduct loss mitigation prior to using HAF funds. HAF funds may be used to supplement loss mitigation procedures, if appropriate. Servicers should ensure they are following all applicable federal guidance and regulations to make borrowers aware of the options available to them.

The HAF Program and servicers will share data securely via the State’s SFTP, the servicer’s SFTP, or secure email. The selected data-sharing method will depend on the servicer’s preference and expected volume of loans. The HAF Program and servicers will share data securely via secure email.

Documents

• United States Department of the Treasury HAF Annual Report – Wyoming 2023
• Mortgage Reinstatement Term Sheet
• Mortgage Payment Assistance Program
• Tax, Utility, HOA & Insurance Assistance Term Sheet
• Servicer Participation Package

Servicers can prepare for the HAF Program by enrolling as vendors with the Wyoming State Auditor’s Office. All servicers must be enrolled as a vendor with the State of Wyoming to receive payments on behalf of homeowners. To enroll as a vendor with the State of Wyoming, or to update your existing enrollment information, please visit the Wyoming State Auditor’s vendor webpage at https://sao.wyo.gov/vendors. Complete the required documentation and mail or email completed documents to:

HAF Program
2300 Capitol Avenue, 3rd Floor
Cheyenne, WY 82001

Liberty Smith
liberty.smith@wyo.gov