The Georgia Mortgage Assistance program stopped accepting new applications on March 1, 2026, and no longer funds new grants or refinance loans. If you applied before the deadline, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs is still processing your file in the order it was received. If you missed the deadline, free mortgage help is still available in Georgia, and this guide shows you where to find it.
Before it closed, the program was one of the most effective foreclosure-prevention efforts in the state. It helped nearly 12,000 Georgia homeowners keep their homes and prevented more than 1,600 foreclosures, according to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
Below, you will learn what the program offered, who qualified, and exactly what to do now if you are behind on your mortgage.
Key Takeaways
- Program status: The Georgia Mortgage Assistance program closed to new applications on March 1, 2026, and no longer funds new grants or refinances.
- What it delivered: Before closing, the program helped nearly 12,000 Georgia homeowners keep their homes and stopped more than 1,600 foreclosures statewide.
- Federal source: Funding came from Georgia's $354 million share of the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund, created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
- Grant amounts: Eligible homeowners could receive up to $50,000 in grant help, paid directly to the lender and never repaid.
- Help still exists: Free HUD-approved housing counseling and lender loss mitigation remain available to any Georgia homeowner facing foreclosure right now.
- Deadline is firm: The federal Homeowner Assistance Fund expires nationwide by September 2026, or sooner once each state uses up its money.
- Watch for scams: Real foreclosure help is always free, so any company charging upfront fees to save your home is a red flag.
What Is the Georgia Mortgage Assistance Program?
The Georgia Mortgage Assistance (GMA) program was a state-run foreclosure-prevention program that gave grants and refinance loans to homeowners who suffered a financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) ran the program using federal money, and it closed to new applications on March 1, 2026.
The money came from the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF), a program the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 created to help homeowners avoid mortgage delinquency, default, and foreclosure. The U.S. Treasury sent $9.961 billion to states, territories, and tribes, and Georgia's share was $354 million, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The DCA administered Georgia's portion through GHFA Affordable Housing, Inc.
The goal was simple: keep families in their homes. A homeowner who had fallen behind because of a pandemic-related job loss, illness, or added caregiving costs could apply for help catching up on payments, reducing their loan balance, or refinancing into a lower payment. The program treated homeownership as something worth protecting, because for most families, a home is their largest source of savings.
Is the Georgia Mortgage Assistance Program Still Accepting Applications?
No. The Georgia Mortgage Assistance program is closed to new applications as of March 1, 2026. The DCA moved its final deadline up to February 28, 2026, because of high application volume and limited remaining funds. National tracking by the National Council of State Housing Agencies also lists Georgia's program as closed.
If you submitted a complete application before the deadline, your file is still in line. The DCA reviews applications in the order it received them so it can manage the remaining money responsibly. Keep in mind that submitting an application does not guarantee approval, because the program has a fixed amount of funding.
| Milestone | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New applications accepted until | February 28, 2026, 11:59 PM | Deadline passed |
| Portal closed to new applicants | March 1, 2026 | Closed |
| Submitted applications processed | Ongoing through 2026 | In order received |
| Federal HAF program end | September 2026, or when funds run out | Approaching |
Grant vs. Refinance Loan: What Kind of Help Did the Program Offer?
The Georgia Mortgage Assistance program offered two kinds of help: grant assistance and a refinance loan. A grant was money you did not repay, paid straight to your lender. The refinance loan combined your eligible mortgage debt into one lower, fixed payment that you did repay each month. A homeowner could use both types of help, but not at the same time.
| Feature | Grant Assistance | Refinance Loan Program |
|---|---|---|
| Repayment | None. It is a grant. | Monthly payments required |
| Maximum amount | Up to $50,000 | Up to $350,000 |
| Interest rate | None | 3% fixed |
| Term | One-time payment | Up to 40 years |
| Credit score | Not considered | No minimum required |
| Best suited for | Catching up or lowering the balance | A more affordable long-term payment |
Grant money could go toward three needs: mortgage reinstatement (catching up when you owed three or more payments), principal curtailment (reducing your total balance after a permanent income loss), and delinquent property taxes or insurance in your name on your primary home. The refinance option was built for homeowners who could not get an affordable solution from their current servicer. You can read the full terms on the DCA refinance loan page. Note that a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) stayed separate and kept its own payments.
Who Qualified for Georgia Mortgage Assistance?
To qualify, a homeowner had to meet rules about their property, income, and hardship. The property had to be in Georgia and be the homeowner's primary residence. Investment properties, vacant homes, and second homes were never eligible. The applicant had to be a legal Georgia resident whose mortgage was held by a participating bank, credit union, or licensed lender.
Income limits used the Area Median Income (AMI), which is the midpoint income for a given county. For grant help, total household income had to be at or below 100% of the county AMI. That limit rose to 150% of AMI if the homeowner, borrower, or spouse living in the home was a socially disadvantaged individual. For the refinance loan, household income had to be at or below 80% of AMI, and the borrower needed a Debt-to-Income (DTI) ratio of 43% or less, meaning no more than 43% of gross monthly income went to debt payments.
The hardship also had to connect directly to the pandemic and start after January 21, 2020. Qualifying hardships included a job loss or reduced hours, new caregiving or childcare costs, COVID-related medical or funeral bills, or a long-term disability.
What Can You Do Now If You Are Behind on Your Mortgage in Georgia?
You still have options even though the Georgia Mortgage Assistance program is closed. Most foreclosure-prevention help does not depend on that one program, and much of it is free. Take these steps in order, starting today, because acting early gives you the most choices.
- Call your mortgage servicer first. Ask directly about loss mitigation. Your servicer is the company you send payments to, and it decides which relief options you can use.
- Talk to a HUD-approved housing counselor. This help is free. Call 800-569-4287 or use the counselor finder on the HUD Georgia page.
- Check whether another state's fund can help. A few state Homeowner Assistance Fund programs were still open in 2026.
- Ask your servicer about loss mitigation options. These include forbearance, a repayment plan, or a loan modification. Each one is a different way to keep your home, explained in the next section.
- Get free legal help if foreclosure has started. Georgia Legal Aid assists eligible homeowners with foreclosure and loan modification denials.
- Dial 211 for emergency support. United Way 211 connects you to local help with housing, utilities, and food. It is confidential and available at any hour.
- Refuse any company that charges upfront fees. Legitimate foreclosure help never requires payment. Any upfront fee to save your home is a warning sign covered in the scam section below.
How Does Foreclosure Work in Georgia? (Key Terms to Know)
Georgia is a non-judicial foreclosure state, which means a lender can foreclose without filing a lawsuit against you. Foreclosure sales happen on the first Tuesday of each month at the county courthouse. Your lender must mail written notice of the sale at least 30 days ahead and advertise it in the county legal newspaper once a week for four weeks, according to Atlanta Legal Aid Society.
Because the process moves without a court hearing, timing matters. The relief options your servicer may offer are known together as loss mitigation. Here is what the main terms mean in plain language:
- Forbearance: Your lender lets you pause or reduce payments for a set period, usually three to six months. You repay the missed amount later.
- Repayment plan: You pay your normal mortgage plus an extra amount each month to catch up on what you missed over time.
- Loan modification: Your lender permanently changes the loan terms, such as a lower interest rate or a longer term, to reduce your payment.
- Short sale: With lender approval, you sell the home for less than you owe, which avoids a completed foreclosure on your record.
- Deed in lieu of foreclosure: You voluntarily transfer the home's title back to the lender to settle the debt and avoid a foreclosure sale.
What Housing Officials Say About Acting Early
State officials designed the newer refinance option specifically for homeowners stuck without an affordable path. Wesley Brooks, the DCA's Deputy Commissioner for Homeownership, said the refinance loan was meant to "help fill that gap" for Georgians who could not find relief through their current servicer. That same principle applies to every option in this guide: the sooner you ask for help, the more solutions stay open to you.
Legal aid advocates give homeowners the same message. Atlanta Legal Aid Society urges people not to ignore a missed payment and to contact a nonprofit HUD-approved housing counselor early, while there is still time to build an application and work out a solution with the lender. In our experience helping readers find assistance, the homeowners who reach out at the first missed payment almost always have more room to keep their homes than those who wait until a sale date is set.
Other Georgia Programs That May Help Homeowners
If your hardship came from a natural disaster rather than the pandemic, a different DCA program may apply. The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program funds the Homeowner Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program (HRRP), which provides up to $50,000 for critical repairs to homes damaged by federally declared disasters. You can review eligibility on the DCA disaster recovery page.
Scam Warning: How to Spot Fake Georgia Mortgage Help
Scammers target homeowners who are behind on payments because they know people in that situation feel pressure to act fast. Before you trust any offer of Georgia mortgage help, check it against these red flags. Knowing them protects your money and your home.
- Real help is always free. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau states plainly that you do not have to pay anyone to avoid foreclosure. Any upfront fee is a warning sign.
- Official sites end in .gov. Georgia's program lives at georgiamortgageassistance.ga.gov. A site that copies the program name but uses a different ending is not the real one.
- No one guarantees approval. Any company promising to save your home for a fee is misleading you. Even the state program never guaranteed funds.
- Ignore unsolicited offers. A government agency will not call, text, or email to offer you mortgage relief you did not apply for. Treat surprise offers as fraud.
If you receive a suspicious offer, do not click any links or share personal details. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. A HUD-approved counselor can also confirm whether a program is legitimate before you give anyone your information.
Mortgage Help Is Still Available After the GMA Deadline
The Georgia Mortgage Assistance program did really well, keeping nearly 12,000 families housed before it closed to new applications in 2026. Its closing does not leave you without options. Loss mitigation through your servicer, free HUD-approved counseling, and legal aid are all still within reach, and the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund itself runs through September 2026 in the states that still have money.
As of July 2026, your best move is to act today. Call your mortgage servicer and a HUD-approved housing counselor at 800-569-4287 before any sale date is set, because early action keeps the most doors open.
Need help finding nonprofit housing organizations, emergency assistance, and local 211 resources? Read our guide to finding nonprofits that offer housing support and learn how to locate trustworthy help in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still apply for the Georgia Mortgage Assistance program?
No. The program stopped accepting new applications on March 1, 2026, after a final deadline of February 28, 2026. Only applications submitted before that date are still being processed. If you need help now, contact a free HUD-approved housing counselor at 800-569-4287.
Do I have to repay Georgia Mortgage Assistance grant money?
No. Grant assistance was paid directly to your lender or vendor and never had to be repaid. The refinance loan was different: it was a loan with a 3% fixed rate and required monthly payments. The two types of help were never used at the same time.
What happens if I applied before the deadline?
Your application stays in line. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs reviews files in the order it received them so it can manage the remaining funds responsibly. Because funding is limited, an application is never guaranteed approval, so keep your proof of submission and stay reachable for follow-up questions.
Is there any mortgage help left in Georgia?
Yes. Free HUD-approved housing counseling, lender loss mitigation options, and legal aid are all still available in 2026. A handful of other states also kept their Homeowner Assistance Fund open. Start by calling your servicer and a housing counselor, both at no cost to you.
How much does it cost to get foreclosure help in Georgia?
Nothing, if you use the right sources. HUD-approved counseling, Georgia Legal Aid, and United Way 211 are all free. The moment a company asks for an upfront fee to stop your foreclosure, stop and treat it as a likely scam.
The post Georgia Mortgage Assistance Program: Status, Eligibility, and What to Do Now appeared first on Gov-Relations.
source https://www.gov-relations.com/mortgage-assistance-georgia/
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