The Homeowner Assistance Fund has ended
The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was the federal program, created by the American Rescue Plan Act, that paid missed mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance and utilities for homeowners with a COVID-related hardship. Treasury distributed $9.961 billion to the states, territories and tribes.
That money is no longer available. The U.S. Treasury’s HAF page states:
- the period of performance for HAF awards ended on September 30, 2026;
- HAF recipients may no longer provide financial assistance to homeowners with HAF funds;
- final reports from the states are due to Treasury on January 28, 2027.
If a website or caller in late 2026 says it can get you “HAF money” or “Save the Dream funds,” treat that as a red flag.
What happened to Save the Dream Ohio
Save the Dream Ohio sits on a web address owned by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), savethedream.ohiohome.org, and homeowners still search for it by name. We checked its status on October 27, 2026:
- savethedream.ohiohome.org redirected to the general OHFA home page, which listed homebuyer, rental and development programs but no mortgage-assistance program;
- OHFA’s FY 2027 Annual Plan discusses foreclosure and delinquency trends in Ohio but doesn’t describe an open homeowner relief program.
We found no current source saying Save the Dream is open. If OHFA announces a new program, it will be on ohiohome.org, and a HUD-approved counselor will know about it before most homeowners do.
Free HUD-approved counselors in Summit County
A HUD-approved housing counselor costs nothing or very little, can talk to your servicer for you, and can review a modification offer. HUD’s counselor data lists these agencies near Akron as offering mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling:
| Agency | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Housing Contact Service | 441 Wolf Ledges Pkwy, Ste 200, Akron 44311 | 330-376-6191 |
| East Akron Neighborhood Development Corp. | 550 S Arlington St, Akron 44306 | 330-724-0244 |
| Mustard Seed Development Center | 1557 Vernon Odom Blvd, Ste 201, Akron 44320 | 330-631-0350 |
| Asian Services in Action (ASIA), Akron office 2 | 370 E Market St, Akron 44304 | 330-535-3263 |
Call first and ask whether the counselor handles your loan type and how soon they can see you. If none can help quickly, HUD’s locator at (800) 569-4287 searches statewide.
Free counselors in Stark County
HUD’s data for the Canton area lists one agency offering mortgage default counseling:
| Agency | Address | Phone | Services listed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprisen, Canton | 2800 Market Ave N, Ste 18, Canton 44714 | 800-355-2227 | Default resolution, budgeting, pre-purchase, rental |
| Community Building Partnership of Stark County | 400 Market Ave N, Ste 400, Canton 44702 | 330-458-0962 | Budgeting and pre-purchase only |
Community Building Partnership isn’t listed for default counseling, so a Stark County owner behind on a mortgage should start with Apprisen, one of the Akron agencies, or the HOPE Hotline. The CFPB describes the HOPE Hotline, (888) 995-4673, as personalized advice from HUD-approved agencies, 24 hours a day.
Your servicer is still the main source of relief
With HAF gone, most real relief now comes from the loan itself: repayment plans, deferrals, partial claims and modifications offered by the servicer. Where to push depends on the loan type:
- FHA loans. HUD says your lender has to follow FHA servicing guidelines. If it won’t work with you, contact the FHA Resource Center at (800) 225-5342 with the full names on the loan, the property address and, if you have it, the 13-digit FHA case number.
- Conventional loans. HUD suggests starting with a HUD-approved counselor, who can contact the servicer for you, or the HOPE Hotline.
The options themselves are explained in the guides to forbearance ending options and loan modification vs selling.
Free legal help in Summit and Stark
A counselor works on the money side. If you’ve been served with a foreclosure complaint, a lawyer can review the case itself. Community Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm for low-income households, and its locations page lists Summit, Stark, Portage and Medina among the counties it serves, with offices in Akron and Canton.
- HelpLine intake: (800) 998-9454, or apply online at communitylegalaid.org.
- Akron office: Akron Centre Plaza, Suite 800, Akron 44308, 330-535-4191.
Ohio’s Civil Rule 12(A) gives you 28 days after service to answer a foreclosure complaint, so contact legal aid as soon as papers arrive.
Help with property taxes, which is still running
Unlike HAF, the county tax programs are permanent and open now.
- Summit County. The Fiscal Office’s Delinquent Tax Payment Plan sets monthly payments based on what you can pay, freezes the delinquent balance so no further interest is added, and requires current taxes to be paid as they come due. Call 330-643-2600.
- Stark County. The Treasurer offers 12-month plans for delinquent balances of $1,000 to $1,999 and 24-month plans for $2,000 or more, with 20% down and the current half-year tax at signing.
- Homestead exemption. For eligible seniors, disabled owners and some surviving spouses, the Summit Fiscal Office says the exemption covers the first $29,000 of appraised value on a single-family home. For applications in 2026 the household income limit is $41,000.
The rules on delinquent taxes are in the delinquent property taxes guide.
Avoid paid “rescue” offers
The CFPB says you don’t need to pay anyone to help you avoid foreclosure, and that up-front fees, promised results and requests to sign over your title are warning signs. Everything on this page is free or low-cost.
If counseling shows the house can’t be saved, the how to stop foreclosure guide lays out every remaining route, and our page on selling a house in foreclosure covers a sale. You can also ask us for a written offer to take to your counselor.
