The Step Forward Michigan program is slowly saving local families in Michigan’s Great Southwest from losing their most valuable asset — their home.
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski was joined by his counterpart from Van Buren County this morning in sharing the news that homeowners in the two counties who find themselves in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure because they can’t pay their property taxes may be able to join those who are getting financial assistance from the Step Forward Michigan program.
Speaking during a news conference at the Berrien County Treasurer’s office, the two treasurers said the federally funded Step Forward Michigan program can provide no-interest loans to homeowners who are behind on their property taxes, mortgage payments or condominium fees.
Since the state began offering the program in 2010, a total of 598 homeowners in the two counties have been helped, according to the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Nonprofit Housing Corporation, which oversees the Step Forward Program in collaboration with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
Statewide, 35,286 Michigan homeowners have qualified for $311.5 million in loans since the program began. About $38 million is still available for new loans to assist around 5,500 eligible households — those affected by a large medical bill, home repair, layoff, divorce, death in the family or other qualifying hardship — through 2020.
Earl Polseki is Executive Director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority — MSHDA. He tells local residents, “If you’ve been hit with a hardship, you could get an interest-free loan of up to $30,000 to get caught up on property taxes, mortgage or condo payments.” Poleski adds, “Even better, if you stay in your home for the next five years, the loan is forgiven and you don’t have to pay it back.”
Berrien County Treasurer Bret Witkowski and Van Buren County Treasurer Karen Makay urged homeowners facing foreclosure to investigate the program. Interested residents can see if they’re eligible by answering a short series of questions at stepforwardmichigan.org or by calling (866) 946-7432 toll-free.
Witkowski noted that, over the past seven years, the Step Forward Michigan program has helped 384 homeowners in Berrien County get nearly $3.3 million in loans to help them hold on to their homes. That includes $3.2 million to pay mortgage payments and $124,292 to pay unpaid property taxes.
