Michigan housing relief program overwhelmed by applications for pandemic aid

More than16,000 Michigan households are in line for aid to help stay in their homes and keep the lights on, but a bottleneck with the state agency approving the money means it's taking several weeks for dollars to go out.

Earlier this year, a record high number of applications and a staffing shortage at the  Michigan State Housing Development Authority, the agency responsible for distributing the money, caused the hold up. The delays could put strapped homeowners at risk of utility shutoff notices or mortgage foreclosures if the program doesn't ramp up, housing counselors said.

In mid-February the state launched the Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund, also known as MIHAF — a grant program for those behind on their mortgages and utilities, backed by $243 million in federal pandemic relief aid.

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