Larry Smith clung to the hope that he would return home, though he knew it would take an unlikely act of mercy. Home is a…
The home preservation counseling provided by Southwest Solutions is recognized as one of the leading programs of its kind in the Detroit area because of its effectiveness in helping homeowners avoid foreclosure and keep their homes. Our agency is HUD-approved and our professional counselors are NeighborWorks-trained and HUD certified. We are currently offering all of our services virtually via ZOOM or phone.
How do I get started?
Please read the instructions: How to set up your My Home account.
Create your account within our My Home website portal to access our counselors and services. Go to the Home Preservation dropdown menu to choose either the property tax or mortgage foreclosure prevention service option. The My Home system will ask you to provide some basic information to allow counselors to help you.
*Be sure to fill in all information fields when prompted to enable the start of service*
We are required by our funders to collect this information, so while it may seem overwhelming at first, the information and documents you provide will allow us to better understand your current situation.
Currently, we are only assisting homeowners within the City of Detroit and Wayne County. If you are a Michigan homeowner outside of the City of Detroit or Wayne County, see the Michigan State Housing Development Authority tool to locate MSHDA certified housing counseling agencies.
Southwest Economic Solutions’ foreclosure prevention services are free of charge. Our counselors work with homeowners facing financial hardship to submit the necessary documents to obtain property tax or mortgage default assistance. These arrangements benefit not only the homeowners, but lenders and the neighborhoods too, because they preserve equity and property values.
Our counselors can guide you in determining what options are available for direct assistance to prevent mortgage foreclosure or in navigating your mortgage servicer’s application for mortgage assistance. The most important first step is always to communicate with the mortgage servicer immediately, at the first sign that you are about to fall behind with your mortgage payments or if you are already one or more months behind. DO NOT WAIT to contact your mortgage servicer to find out what assistance is available and how to apply for it. Once you are connected with a foreclosure prevention counselor at Southwest Economic Solutions, they can provide guidance wherever you are in that process and also connect you to any other assistance that may be available.
Make sure you understand how property taxes work so you can stay in your home! If your home has any delinquent property taxes, you may be at risk of foreclosure. If you are three (3) years behind on your property taxes, the Wayne County Treasurer can take your home through tax foreclosure. Our professional counselors have strategies that can help you to avoid this.
If you an owner/occupant of a home and live in the City of Detroit, you may be eligible for the Homeowner Property Exemption (HOPE). This is an annual property tax exemption that income-eligible owner/occupants can apply for. Our team can help you complete and submit this application to the Board of Review at the City of Detroit. Please see the table below for the income guidelines.
If you are approved for the HOPE and have delinquent property taxes, you will become eligible for the Wayne County Treasurers Office Pay as You Stay (PAYS) payment agreement. If you enroll in PAYS, you will then be eligible for the Detroit Tax Relief Fund (DTRF) that will pay off ALL delinquent tax debt at the Wayne County Treasurers Office. Our team will be able to help you navigate these various programs.
If you are behind on you property taxes or a low-income homeowner, please schedule an appointment with us through your My Home account today! We must have ALL documents before the appointment. Here is the list of required documents needed:
The Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund (MIHAF) is a statewide program offered by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) that uses federal resources to provide financial assistance to homeowners who have fallen behind on homeownership-related expenses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding for the MIHAF program was established under section 3206 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to mitigate financial hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic by providing funds to eligible entities for the purpose of preventing homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020, through qualified expenses related to mortgages and housing.
Please read MSHDAs FAQ for more information on the program and eligibility.
With up to a $25,000 grant, MIHAF can help homeowners with financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It can help pay delinquent:
Our team can help eligible owner/occupants complete the MIHAF application. If you are behind on any of the above housing expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please schedule an appointment with us through your My Home account today!
Are you a Detroit Homeowner? Our Home Preservation workshops highlight strategies and programs that can help residents preserve and maintain their homes and, most importantly, avoid foreclosure. We are offering two different workshops:
Homeowners Property Tax Management Course occurs monthly on Zoom. The Homeowners Property Tax Management Course will cover the annual property tax timeline, paperwork and more! We will also cover the Homeowners Property Exemption (HOPE) application and how that can benefit you and your home. As well as, strategies to help you pay off or eliminate your delinquent property taxes at the Wayne County Treasurers Office and save your home from foreclosure!
The Homeownership Preservation for Detroit Residents course occurs bi-monthly on Zoom. The Homeownership Preservation for Detroit Residents course will highlight strategies and programs that can help Detroit residents preserve and maintain their homes. Our unique and comprehensive workshop will explore what being a homeowner in Detroit entails. Join us to learn more about financial management as a homeowner, current resources available for home repair programs and other household needs.
Our unique and comprehensive workshops explores what being a homeowner in Detroit involves. Sign up here to attend our next workshop.
to significantly reduce their taxes and help preserve their homeownership.
Larry Smith clung to the hope that he would return home, though he knew it would take an unlikely act of mercy. Home is a…
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