Cobb County Board of Commissioners approves $4.8 million for grants to provide Cobb County homeowners affected by COVID-19 mortgage payment assistance and/or homeownership counseling.
News Release | August 17th
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved funding of $4.8 million to provide mortgage payment assistance and/or homeowner counseling to Cobb County homeowners that have been adversely affected by COVID-19. The funding will come out of the $132 million allocated to the county in the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The “Cobb HomeSaver Program” (the program) will be administered by National HUD Intermediary, HomeFree-USA, a nationally recognized nonprofit homeownership development and foreclosure prevention organization. Cobb homeowners who have fallen behind in their mortgage payments due to a COVID-19 related involuntary financial hardship, medical hardship, death of a spouse/co-borrower, will be eligible for up $4,800 of mortgage payment assistance, as well as optional homeownership counseling.
Applications are now being accepted at www.CobbHomeSaver.org.
“The Board of Commissioners looks forward to the partnership with the Home Saver Program,” said Chairman Mike Boyce. “Our common goal is to find solutions to the mortgage issues that have arisen for many as the result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Now more than ever we need to work together for the common good.” HomeFree-USA will review each application and its supporting documents for eligibility, and determine, based on the eligibility requirements, the recipients to receive grants and counseling. Mortgage payments will be paid directly to the lender on the borrower’s behalf.
“During this unprecedented time, too many people are struggling financially and facing housing instability,” says Marcia Griffin, President and CEO of HomeFree-USA. “HomeFree-USA is honored to work with Cobb County homeowners to help them stabilize their housing needs now and put them on a path to ongoing homeownership success.”
Visit www.CobbHomeSaver.org for a complete list of the eligibility criteria and to apply. All applications will be reviewed and processed in the order they are received. Grant applications will be accepted on a “first-come, first-served” basis. The grant amount awarded to homeowners may vary.
“As the Italian proverb says, give a man a fish and you feed him for a
day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for his lifetime,” said Commissioner Keli Gambrill, who worked with Cobb community leader and program developer Earnest Davis to bring the agenda item forward. “Owning a home provides a sense of pride – not only in the home, but also in the community. I’ve had the pleasure to hear Earnest Davis speak and know the passion he has for this program and the positive impact it can have on those in need. Special thanks to Mayor Tommy Allegood who hosted a community forum that brought this need to my attention, and the Board of Commissioners for supporting this endeavor,” said commissioner Gambrill. The Board of Commissioners approved the grant program by a 4-1 vote.
About HomeFree-USA
HomeFree-USA is a leading nonprofit homeownership development and
financial empowerment organization. As a HUD intermediary, HomeFree-USA oversees a nationwide network of 53 community and faith-based nonprofit homeownership development agencies.
Learn more at HomeFreeUSA.org.
Press Contact Info
Earnest Davis | e3 Brand Group | edavis@e3brandgroup.com
Cobb County Government Contact Info
Ross Cavitt | Cobb County Communications | ross.cavitt@cobbcounty.org
www.cobbcounty.org/communications/news