NEW ORLEANS – From Southeast Louisiana Legal Services:
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services has been awarded $3 million in funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security supplemental Community Development Block Grant funds from the City of New Orleans Office of Community Development. These funds are being targeted to our new Foreclosure Prevention & Mortgage Assistance Project to assist low-income homeowners in New Orleans who have been impacted by COVID-19 who are now facing foreclosure due to their inability to pay their mortgage. The project combines legal assistance with the ability to pay mortgage arrears assistance for eligible homeowners.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Property must be located in Orleans Parish.
- Home for which you are seeking assistance is your primary residence
- Applicant must own or have an ownership interest in the home
- All household income must be at or below 80% ami (Example: 2-person household = $44,900)
- Applicant must be at least 30 days in arrears in paying their mortgage
- Applicant has been impacted by COVID-19 and the inability to pay the mortgage began after January 21, 2020.
What to Expect after Submitting Your Application:
After we get your application, SLLS will contact you to schedule you for an appointment to come to our office. Our goal is to contact all applicants within 48 hours of receiving an application. Walk in appointments are not currently available. Once you submit your application, start gathering the documents needed to support your application.
When you come to SLLS for your scheduled appointment, be sure to bring all of your supporting documents with you. You will also be asked to sign some documents needed for your application. SLLS cannot make a determination as to your eligibility for the program until all necessary documentation is submitted. Our staff will determine what legal advice and/or other legal assistance you may need for this mortgage problem or other legal problems. If SLLS determines you are eligible for the program, we will then contact your mortgage company to find out if they will accept assistance from the project and to obtain information on how to send the payment. If we still need more documentation to complete your application after you come to your appointment, we will let you know what is still needed.
If you are determined to be eligible and your mortgage company agrees to accept assistance and provides necessary information to process a payment, we will then make payment arrangements. We will let you know when the payment is made and the amount paid. If you are not eligible or if your mortgage company will not agree to accept assistance, we will let you know.
Additional Information:
- Telephone applications are accepted Monday – Friday from 9 am to 1 pm, excluding holidays. You can call 1-855-786-2955. If an intake specialist is unavailable to take your call, please leave a message with your name, phone number, best time to call you back, and email address.Â
- A printable application is available here.
- Your application and supporting documents can be emailed to foreclosureprevention@slls.org.Â
- Or you can apply online 24/7 below.
