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Facing financial hardship that puts your home at risk is an incredibly stressful experience. For homeowners in North Dakota struggling with mortgage payments, the primary North Dakota mortgage relief program is ND Help for Homeowners. This state-administered initiative provides a crucial financial lifeline to promote housing stability.
Knowing your options is the first step toward regaining financial control. This resource provides a complete overview of the financial relief and foreclosure prevention programs available to North Dakota residents, including state, federal, and local support systems designed to help you stay in your home.
The ND Help for Homeowners program is the cornerstone of mortgage assistance in the state. It was created to address the needs of homeowners facing the risk of losing their homes due to financial difficulties, offering a direct route to stability.
Program Overview and Administration
ND Help for Homeowners is North Dakota's version of the national Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). The HAF is a federal program established by the American Rescue Plan Act to prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures across the country. The program's goal is to stop the loss of utilities or home energy services that could lead to displacement.
The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for managing and distributing these funds. While the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) helped develop the statewide plan, HHS administers the program due to its experience with other public assistance initiatives.
Critical Update: Program Status and Changes
It is vital for homeowners to have the most current information. As of November 10, 2023, the ND Homeowner Payment Assistance Program (HPA) component was discontinued. This specific part of the program provided up to $6,000 for future mortgage payments.
While this forward-looking assistance has ended, the broader ND Help for Homeowners program remains active. It continues to provide crucial financial support for past-due expenses, prioritizing homeowners who are already delinquent and in immediate danger of foreclosure or utility disconnection.
Who is Eligible for Assistance?
To qualify for aid, applicants must meet specific criteria related to their property, income, and the nature of their financial hardship.
Homeowner and Property Requirements:
Financial Hardship and Income Requirements:
Types of Financial Relief Available
The program covers a variety of delinquent housing-related expenses to help homeowners catch up. All payments are made directly to the mortgage servicer, utility company, or other relevant entity.
Available assistance includes:
The program has a total maximum assistance cap of $40,000 per household across all components. The home repair portion is capped at $30,000.
| ND Help for Homeowners: Summary of Available Assistance |
| Type of Assistance |
| Mortgage Reinstatement |
| Utility & Property Expenses |
| Home Repairs |
| Total Household Cap |
How to Apply for ND Help for Homeowners
The application process is managed by the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services. Homeowners can apply online through the official state portal.
https://www.applyforhelp.nd.gov/housing.haf@nd.gov.While HHS manages the primary mortgage relief program, the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) is another vital resource for the state's homeowners. It is important to understand its specific role.
Clarifying NDHFA's Role: Homebuyer Assistance vs. Mortgage Relief
NDHFA's main mission is to make housing affordable by offering financing to purchase a home. As a self-supporting state agency, it is not designed to distribute emergency grant aid. NDHFA explicitly states that it does not provide emergency assistance.
NDHFA's primary programs are for homebuyers and include:
Programs for Existing Homeowners
Although NDHFA does not offer emergency relief, it has several programs that can help existing homeowners with property improvements.
Guidance for Homeowners with an NDHFA Mortgage
If your mortgage is already financed by NDHFA and you are struggling with payments, you should contact their loan servicing department immediately to discuss your options.
hfaservicing@nd.gov.Beyond state programs, federal and specialized initiatives offer additional support for specific groups of North Dakota homeowners.
USDA Rural Development Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers programs for homeowners in eligible rural areas. These can be a vital resource for those living outside major cities.
Homeowners can check property eligibility on the official USDA Eligibility Site.
Housing Support for North Dakota Veterans
Veterans facing housing instability have dedicated resources. The North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs connects former service members with financial assistance programs for mortgages, rent, and utilities.
Available resources include:
In addition to applying for programs, there are proactive steps every homeowner facing financial difficulty should take to protect their home.
The First Step: Contacting Your Mortgage Servicer
The most critical action is to contact your mortgage servicer immediately if you are struggling with payments. Early communication can unlock solutions before the situation escalates to foreclosure.
Servicers offer loss mitigation options to help borrowers avoid foreclosure, which may include:
The Power of Professional Guidance: HUD-Approved Housing Counseling
Navigating financial hardship can be overwhelming, but you don't have to do it alone. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) supports a network of counseling agencies that provide free or low-cost expert advice.
A HUD-approved housing counselor can:
You can find a HUD-approved agency through the official search tools from HUD or the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Local agencies in North Dakota include the Community Action Partnership in Minot and the Southeastern North Dakota Community Action Agency (SENDCAA) in Fargo.
Know Your Rights: North Dakota Foreclosure Timeline
Understanding the legal process empowers you to act in a timely manner. In North Dakota, lenders must file a lawsuit to foreclose. Before they can do so, they are required to send a pre-foreclosure notice.
This notice gives the borrower a 30-day window to pay the past-due amount and "cure the default," avoiding the foreclosure action entirely. This 30-day period is a critical opportunity to contact your servicer, apply for assistance, and connect with a housing counselor.
Facing the potential loss of a home is a daunting challenge, but North Dakota homeowners have multiple avenues for support. The key to navigating this period is prompt, informed action.
The state's primary resource for immediate distress is the ND Help for Homeowners program, which provides grants for past-due mortgage, utility, and property tax payments. Additional support is available through the NDHFA, the USDA, and the ND Department of Veterans Affairs.
Regardless of which program fits your situation, two steps are universal: communicate early with your mortgage servicer and connect with a free, HUD-approved housing counselor. These resources exist to help you achieve financial recovery and maintain the stability of your home.
As of late 2025, the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program, also known as ND Help for Homeowners, is no longer accepting new applications. The program, funded by the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund, has concluded its application intake period. Homeowners should now seek alternative resources for mortgage assistance.
The primary goal of the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program was to prevent mortgage delinquencies, defaults, and foreclosures for homeowners who experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It provided crucial funds to bring past-due housing-related payments current for eligible North Dakota residents.
No, the assistance provided through the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program was a grant, not a loan. The funds did not need to be repaid by the homeowner as long as they complied with all program terms. This structure was designed to provide direct financial relief without creating future debt.
Eligibility for the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program required homeowners to have experienced a pandemic-related financial hardship, meet specific income limits based on their household size and county, and use the property as their primary residence. Applicants also had to demonstrate a risk of housing instability.
The program covered various past-due housing expenses, including mortgage payments, homeowner's insurance, and delinquent property taxes. The mortgage assistance North Dakota offered could also cover homeowner association (HOA) fees and, in some cases, past-due utility bills to prevent foreclosure or displacement.
The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) was the state entity responsible for administering the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). NDHFA managed the application portal, determined applicant eligibility, and distributed the federal funds for the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program on behalf of the state.
With the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program now closed, homeowners facing foreclosure should immediately contact a HUD-approved housing counselor. You may also contact your mortgage servicer directly to discuss loan modification or forbearance options, or seek assistance from local North Dakota community action agencies.
Yes, homeowners could apply for assistance specifically for delinquent property taxes through the North Dakota Mortgage Relief Program, even if their mortgage payments were current. This was a critical feature designed to prevent tax sales, which is another avenue that can lead to foreclosure.
No, the program was not limited to first-time homebuyers. Any eligible North Dakota homeowner who met the income, primary residency, and hardship requirements could apply for assistance through the ND Help for Homeowners program, regardless of when they purchased their home.
The program was federally funded through the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF), established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The U.S. Department of the Treasury allocated these funds to states like North Dakota to design and operate their specific mortgage relief initiatives.
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