Property tax relief available to eligible homeowners impacted by COVID-19 pandemic

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The California Mortgage Relief Program is providing one-time payments to qualified homeowners who have fallen behind on their housing payments. Using $1 billion in federal funds, the program is helping homeowners who had a financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic by covering missed mortgage and property tax payments.

The program has extended assistance to cover past-due property taxes for homeowners whose mortgage payments are current and homeowners who are mortgage-free. Homeowners who fall in this category could receive up to $20,000 to cover past-due property taxes.

“Sonoma County is pleased to join the state in working to notify eligible taxpayers of financial assistance during this challenging time,” said Erick Roeser, Auditor-Controller Treasurer-Tax Collector for Sonoma County. “We are proactively reaching out to Sonoma County property owners who could benefit from this program in order to help them save their home.”

Other program expansions include:

• Homeowners are now eligible for assistance from the program if their household income is at or below the county income limit (150% of their county’s Area Median Income, based on federal limits set for this program). California homeowners interested in applying can find their county’s Area Median Income by using a calculator available online at CaMortgageRelief.org.
• In addition, homeowners who have missed at least two mortgage payments prior to June 30, 2022, and are currently delinquent, may be eligible for assistance. This updates an original requirement that required homeowners to have missed at least two payments prior to December 27, 2021.

The California Mortgage Relief Program offers financial assistance to eligible homeowners through a one-time only grant that does not have to be paid back. This means homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage or property tax payments due to pandemic-related financial hardships can get caught up.

Homeowners can check to see if they are eligible to apply for the California Mortgage Relief Program by visiting CaMortgageRelief.org and clicking the “Apply Now” button. Homeowners who meet the pre-screening criteria may complete an application for funding. Application assistance is available through the program’s Contact Center at 1-888-840-2594.

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Media Contact:
Gilbert Martinez, Communication Specialist 
publicaffairs@sonoma-county.org
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403 
(707) 565-3040