Governor Reeves announces assistance for homeowners, first responders

(The following is a press release from the Mississippi Governor's Office.)

JACKSON — Today, Governor Tate Reeves announced further efforts to support homeowners and first responders who are being stretched thin during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Working with the Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC) and Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), Governor Reeves is providing mortgage assistance for homeowners and emergency childcare for essential personnel and first responders to help relieve the burden of hardworking Mississippians across our state.

Mortgage Assistance

MHC has reopened the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) to provide short-term mortgage assistance to those who have lost employment or income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will allow MHC to pay monthly mortgage payment assistance. People can submit applications through an online portal here: mshomesaver.com.

"I saw firsthand the homes that were lost to the tornadoes this weekend. It breaks my heart. There are more who are at risk of losing their homes to our nation’s economic crisis. We can’t stop the wind from blowing, but we can try to stop more from losing these homes," said Governor Tate Reeves.

HHF is a program of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which first allocated funds to Mississippi in 2010. Mississippi has used the funds to stabilize local housing markets and help families avoid foreclosures. The program targets assistance toward unemployed homeowners or underemployed homeowners and those with homes that are worth less than their value of their mortgages.

“MHC is taking action to help families navigate the evolving impact COVID-19 is having on our communities. It is our hope that through re-opening the Hardest Hit Fund we are able to help Mississippi families who have been impacted by this national crisis,” said MHC Executive Director Scott Spivey.

Emergency Childcare for First Responders

Working with the Governor and the state's COVID-19 response, MDHS has joined with the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) to provide much-needed childcare services for emergency and essential personnel who would otherwise not have access to it because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our essential workers are being asked to do things that others aren’t. They are stepping into the line of fire to provide what we all need to stay safe. We need to do everything that we can to help them. We hope that this expanded access to child care will lighten the load for our essential workers. It won’t make their jobs easy. But we hope that it can make this one highly stressful element easier," said Governor Tate Reeves.

The Childcare Crisis Assistance in Isolation Response Plan (CCAIR) is designed to serve as temporary, emergency childcare facilities during this crisis period for families listed as essential workers in Executive Order 1463. These personnel are serving on the frontlines of this pandemic and are unable to isolate at home.

In addition to fulfilling the background, health, and safety requirements, potential partners will have access to free-of-charge CCAIR training through the Early Childhood Academy. Upon completing this training, they will be assigned a CCAIR Coach who will guide them through the process of becoming a CCAIR site.

“We have emergency and essential personnel risking their health and well-being every day to continue to provide the care and support we need to sustain our daily lives. They should not have the additional burden of finding both care and education for their children," said MDHS Executive Director Robert G. “Bob” Anderson.

For those who need financial assistance, Emergency Certificates can be applied for. Applications for these certificates will begin one week from today.

For more information on CCAIR, as well as what steps that must be taken before being considered for certification as a CCAIR site, you can go to www.mdhs.ms.gov/ccair.