LANSING - The Step Forward Michigan program was established by the MHS to work directly with Michigan homeowners to help them stay in their home.

The program provides up to a $30,000 interest free loan to assist with mortgage, property taxes, and/or condominium association fees. The MHA is the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Nonprofit Housing Corporation which was designed by the MSHDA to design and oversee the distribution of the Hardest Hit Funds in Michigan.

After speaking with the Director of the Homeownership Division, Mary Townley, it has become clear that the program was created to assist homeowners in 1 of 2 ways: "either a one time reinstatement or rescue program and that's for homeowners that are delinquent, or have an arraignment, and they have had an obstacle in their life that caused problems with payment of their mortgage. The second program that we offer is an unemployment subsidy."

According to Townley, the unemployment subsidy is a monthly assistance specifically provided to unemployed homeowners, or homeowners who are drawing unemployment. The program will subsidize payments for up to 12 months, with the same cap of $30,000.

Mary Townley advises all interested households to visit the Step Forward Michigan website or to call their 866 number.