Newsom Announces Plan To Help Some Homeowners Catch Up On Mortgage Payments

SACRAMENTO (AP) — California will help up to 40,000 homeowners catch up on their mortgage payments.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday the federal government approved his mortgage relief plan. California will use about $1 billion in federal money to help people who fell behind on their mortgage payments during the pandemic.

The program will pay past due housing payments in full, up to a maximum of $80,000 per household. The money would go directly to the banks or mortgage servicers.

Only people who own and occupy one property and make at or below 100% of their area median income will be eligible. The program covers single-family homes, condos and manufactured homes. Owners also must attest they have faced a pandemic-related financial hardship after Jan. 21, 2020.

California also has a program to pay people's past due rent. So far, the state has paid $1.6 billion to more than 137,000 households.

© Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.