O.C. homeowners with delinquent property taxes may qualify for the California Mortgage Relief Program

(SANTA ANA, Calif.) Orange County Treasurer Shari Freidenrich is notifying homeowners that the California Mortgage Relief Program expanded delinquent property tax assistance coverage to include current-year delinquencies and delinquencies back to January 21, 2020. The California Mortgage Relief Program provides financial assistance to qualified homeowners to cover missed mortgage or property tax payments due to a “Qualified Financial Hardship” such as a material decrease in income, or a material increase in living expenses including medical expenses.

“Orange County residents have certainly been feeling the effects of inflation in their day-to-day life,” said Orange County Treasurer Shari L. Freidenrich. “The California Mortgage Relief Program is a financial resource available to aid qualified homeowners who have had financial hardship, and I encourage those who may benefit from it to consider applying.”

Orange County homeowners that have a “Qualified Financial Hardship” are eligible for assistance through the program if their household income is at or below the county income limit (150% of Orange County’s Area Median Income (AMI), based on federal limits set for this program) and can check eligibility for other counties using the online calculator. Eligibility requirements for California Mortgage Relief Programs can be found on the California Mortgage Relief website.

The California Mortgage Relief Program offers financial assistance structured as a non-recourse grant, meaning repayment will not be required. “The good news is that homeowners who may have fallen behind have the opportunity to gain a little breathing room to get caught up,” said Freidenrich.

Eligible homeowners that meet program requirements may apply for assistance multiple times and receive a maximum of $80,000 in delinquent property tax assistance.

Eligible owner-occupied properties include single-family properties, condominium units, 1–4-unit properties, and permanently affixed mobile homes.

Homeowners who have already received a grant from the California Mortgage Relief Program are still eligible for coverage, so long as they have not exceeded the total California Mortgage Relief Program assistance limit of $80,000.

Applicants who had been previously denied may still qualify based on updated eligibility criteria.

If you have missed at least one property tax payment by February 1, 2024 or defaulted on a County payment plan prior to January 21, 2020 and experienced a financial hardship, find out if you are eligible to apply for the California Mortgage Relief Program by visiting camortgagerelief.org.

For application questions call 1-888-840-2594.