April 18th of this year a new program funded by the federal Government was laid into place. Nearly 10,000 Florida Homeowners have applied for the Hardest Hit Fund program, a program that piloted in Lee County last year and could aid nearly 40,000 homeowners across the state.

The program is split into two separate assistance programs: The Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program and the Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Payment Program. Not all homeowners that apply for either of the programs will receive assistance, as the Hardest Hit Fund Program only considers homeowners that are suffering from unemployment or underemployment caused by the recession as eligible hardships.

The Unemployment Mortgage Assistance Program will grant up to $12,000 worth of house payments or six months worth, whichever comes first, directly to qualified applicants' loan servicers. The program will end once the grant is up or when the participant finds a job that will pay enough for the homeowner to make their mortgage payments on their own. According to Cecka Rose Green, the Communications Director for the Florida Housing Finance Corp., We want a homeowner in this program to get accustomed to making a mortgage payment again."

The Mortgage Loan Reinstatement Payment program, the second of the two Hardest Hit Fund Programs, will pay up to $6,000 of the past-due amount on the participants mortgage.

There are two ways that a homeowner can apply for the program; filling out the online forms on the program's website or apply in person at one of the program agencies. Applying in person is recommended as the homeowner is guaranteed administration by the local agency if they are eligible. When applying online, the agency is assigned from anywhere across the state.

Homeowners need to be certain that all the information is correct when applying, as there is no second chance if a homeowner is found to be ineligible.