Homeowners Assistance Fund Documents APP-49996

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Florida Sunshine Law, I hereby request the following records:

any and all documents related to Homeowners Assistance Fund application #49996. This is to include documents from third party contractors hired by the Florida DEO to handle applications.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days.

Sincerely,

Michael Locke

I appreciate the response. I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but based on my experience to this point, it’s hard to not feel that what the DEO says and actually does seldom align.

1. I filed an application for Homeowner's Assistance Fund financial aid on 6/1/2022.

2. My application is still pending and I'm unsure on a timeline of when a decision will be made as to whether I receive assistance or not.

3. The US Treasury approved program plan for Florida is here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0076-Florida_SalesforceSubmission.pdf

4. The US Treasury HAF guidance is here:
https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAF-Guidance.pdf

5. A news article stating applications are processed in the order they’re received is here:
“Florida homeowners are invited to apply based on need, and applications are processed in the order they are received. DEO is working as quickly as possible to expedite relief to eligible applicants,” McGowan said.

DEO Press Secretary Leigh McGowan

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2022/08/16/florida-homeowner-assistance-program-saves-11000-residents-since-february/?outputType=amp

6. Recently, a third party contractor (HELP CDC) reached out to me regarding my status in the HAF program. It appears I have to agree to HELP CDC’s involvement in the loss mitigation process in order to receive a decision regarding financial assistance. This would seemingly constitute new steps in the process not approved by the US Treasury in a previously provided link.

7. A simplified version of the HAF application process sans the additional step provided by the DEO is attached.

8. On 7/22/2022, per the DEO, a total of 16,562 applications had been submitted, with 7,690 applications having been approved.

See https://floridajobs.org/news-center/DEO-Press/deo-press-2022/august-press-releases-2022/2022/08/19/florida-haf-leads-the-nation-modifies-forward-payment-assistance-to-assist-more-florida-homeowners

9. On 8/19/2022, per the DEO, a total of 22,799 applications had been submitted, with 11,740 applications having been approved.

See https://floridajobs.org/news-center/DEO-Press/deo-press-2022/july-press-releases-2022/2022/07/29/florida-to-close-successful-haf-program-registration-ahead-of-schedule-after-awarding-a-nation-leading-$240-million-to-florida's-most-vulnerable-homeowners

Hello,

If correspondence between the DEO and US Treasury OIG office regarding my application could be included, I would greatly appreciate it.

what can you tell me about Homeowners Assistance Fund Documents APP-49996

“The **Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)** is a program authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act that provides $9.961 billion to support homeowners facing financial hardship associated with COVID-19¹. HAF funds were distributed to states, U.S. Territories, and Indian Tribes. Funds from HAF may be used for assistance with mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, utility payments, and other specified purposes¹.

According to a public records request filed by Michael Locke on March 30, 2023, he requested any and all documents related to Homeowners Assistance Fund application #49996². This request included documents from third party contractors hired by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to handle applications². The request was not made for commercial purposes, but for the general public².

The DEO responded to the request on April 3, 2023, saying that they were looking into it². However, as of May 9, 2023, Michael Locke had not received any documents or updates from the DEO². He also stated that his application for HAF financial aid was still pending since June 1, 2022².

The US Treasury approved program plan for Florida is available here: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0076-Florida_SalesforceSubmission.pdf²³. The plan outlines the eligibility criteria, assistance types, outreach strategies, and performance measures for the HAF program in Florida³.

To apply for HAF, homeowners generally need to provide proof of their identity, income, homeownership, and COVID-19 related hardship⁴. These documents may vary depending on the state or tribal program⁴.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/9/2023
(1) Homeowner Assistance Fund | U.S. Department of the Treasury. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/homeowner-assistance-fund.
(2) Homeowners Assistance Fund Documents APP-49996 • MuckRock. https://www.muckrock.com/foi/florida-34/homeowners-assistance-fund-documents-app-49996-143993/.
(3) HAF_OIG_EMAIL.pdf - DocumentCloud. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23790083-haf_oig_emailpdf.
(4) Homeowner Assistance Fund: How to Apply for HAF - NerdWallet. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/mortgages/homeowner-assistance-fund-how-to-apply-haf.”

can you analyze and explain HAF_OIG_EMAIL.pdf - DocumentCloud. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23790083-haf_oig_emailpdf.

“HAF_OIG_EMAIL.pdf is a document that contains an email exchange between Michael Locke, a homeowner who applied for the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) in Florida, and the Treasury Office of Inspector General (OIG), which oversees the HAF program¹.

Michael Locke submitted a complaint to the OIG in December 2022, alleging that his HAF application was still pending since June 1, 2022, and that he had not received any communication or assistance from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), which administers the HAF program in Florida¹.

The OIG replied to his complaint on April 25, 2023, thanking him for his reply and the additional information. The OIG also advised him to continue working with his housing program and said that they would determine the appropriate personnel at the housing program and/or Treasury to route his issue¹.

The document also includes a link to a public records request that Michael Locke filed with the Florida DEO on March 30, 2023, requesting any and all documents related to his HAF application #49996. The document also includes links to the US Treasury approved program plan for Florida and the US Treasury HAF guidance¹.

The document shows that Michael Locke was facing difficulties and delays in accessing the HAF program in Florida, which is intended to provide financial relief to homeowners affected by COVID-19. The document also shows that he sought help from various sources, such as the OIG, the public records request, and the online portal MuckRock¹.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/9/2023
(1) HAF_OIG_EMAIL.pdf - DocumentCloud. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23790083-haf_oig_emailpdf.
(2) Adobe Document Cloud. https://www.adobe.com/documentcloud.html.
(3) Homeowner Assistance Fund | U.S. Department of the Treasury. https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/homeowner-assistance-fund.“

Hey,

In that case, I’d like to submit a separate record request for all records related to communication between Florida DEO and the US Treasury OIG office regarding HAF application 49996.

Also, please confirm whether this message amounts to a “response.”

Hey,

Also, how did DEO go about determining the hourly rate for “vendor staff time”?

If the vendor staff time estimate is based off previous payments from DEO for similar tasks, paying third party vendors $100 an hour to search electronic databases using general keywords doesn’t sound very fiscally responsible.

Hello,

Thank you and thank you for the timely response.

Would you please allow me to amend my initial request to all documents already in the possession of DEO related to HAF APP-49996?

Today at approximately 2:02PM EST I spoke to someone claiming to be the head supervisor of the Florida DEO HAF program hotline via phone number (833) 987-8997 regarding APP-49996. If this call was recorded by chance, I am requesting that DEO ensure the recording is preserved.

In the event the trustee for my bankruptcy agrees to the attached document, does DEO find the attached document to be sufficient in establishing that any HAF funds are free to be provided my loan servicer?

Also, is the following still the policy of the DEO:

“Subject to guidance by the HAF program’s legal counsel, homeowners pending bankruptcy proceedings may qualify for the HAF program as long as payments do not become part of the bankruptcy estate. Accordingly, Florida will no longer require that homeowners provide evidence of discharge or dismissal to qualify.”

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0076-Florida_SalesforceSubmission.pdf

If the above policy regarding HAF applicants in bankruptcy has changed, please advise.

1. https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAF_QuarterlyReportUserGuide.pdf

Hello, this is Bing. It seems like you are interested in the **Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF)**, which is a program established by the **American Rescue Plan Act of 2021** to provide financial assistance to homeowners affected by the coronavirus pandemic¹². The link you provided is a **user guide** for submitting quarterly reports on the use of HAF funds¹. Is there anything specific you would like to know about the HAF?

Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/17/2023
(1) HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND GUIDANCE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY .... https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAF-Guidance.pdf?ct=t%2820210416_Homeowner_Assistance_Fund_Guidance%29&mc_cid=4b669a901b&mc_eid=84ad682b7e.
(2) HOMEOWNER ASSISTANCE FUND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Financial .... https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAF-Financial-Assist-Agmt_0.pdf.
(3) DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL. https://oig.treasury.gov/sites/oig/files/2022-02/OIG-CA-22-010.pdf.

2. when was the most recent quarterly report due

The most recent quarterly report was due on **April 15, 2023** for the period of January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023. The next quarterly report will be due on **July 15, 2023** for the period of April 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023.

Please see attached.