“This fund is meant to help low and moderate-income homeowners who may have gotten behind on their bills during the COVID-19 pandemic get caught up,” said MaineHousing Director Daniel Brennan.”
Applications for the program will continue to be processed by a group of local partners, including several community action agencies and housing providers. Proof of homeownership and income eligibility will be required. Access to the program also includes financial counseling with a Housing and Urban Development-certified mortgage counselor. This is at no cost to the applicant.
Expenses covered by the program may include late or past due mortgage or tax payments, overdue utility bills including sewer, water and electricity, and/or heating fuels. The program can also pay overdue homeowner association dues and fees or the lot rent for a mobile home that is owned by the occupants.
For some eligible homeowners, the program will also pay up to three months of future mortgage payments to ensure housing stability.
Program Details and Application
Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens, also known as the Property Tax Stabilization Program (the “Program”), is a State program that allows certain senior-citizen residents to stabilize, or freeze, the property taxes on their homestead. As long as you qualify and file a timely application each year, the tax billed to you for your homestead will be frozen at the amount you were billed in the prior tax year. Eligible residents who move may transfer the fixed tax amount to a new homestead, even if that new homestead is in a different Maine municipality.
Stabilization Application – the filing deadline is December 1, 2022
Stabilization Guidance for Applicants