The New Hampshire Homeowner Assistance Fund will transition to a wait list for applications at the end of the week as the program nears the end of its federal funding.

The program is a product of the American Rescue Plan Act, where federal dollars were sent to each state to assist with homeownership expenses like utility bills, property taxes and mortgage payments. New Hampshire received $50 million in funding, with $40 million available for programs. The remaining funds are set aside for administrative expenses and housing counseling and legal services.

Households can receive a maximum award of $40,000. Applications will now be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.

To be eligible for the funding, homeowners need to prove that they were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and have low income.

Since the program launched in March 2022, $28.5 million has been distributed to more than 2,600 households.

Of these payments, 30 percent of funding has been awarded to assist with outstanding property tax bills. New Hampshire has one of the highest property tax burdens in the country, according to the Tax Foundation. The national average for property tax collection per capita is $1,810. In the Granite State, this number is $3,285. 

Local property taxes predominately fund municipal budgets which include all town and city services, as well as a large portion of school budgets. 

“While funding for the NH Homeowner Assistance Fund is winding down, we remain committed to helping all New Hampshire residents have a safe and affordable place to call home,” Rob Dapice, executive director of New Hampshire Housing said in a prepared statement.

When funding expires, the program will close. 

Editor’s note: The Concord Monitor, in partnership with Report for America and the Investigating Editing Corps, is working on a series of stories examining the pressure of property taxes and the tax deed process, where New Hampshire cities and towns take and sell homes with unpaid property taxes. If you have faced a tax deed or lien, or struggled year to year to pay your property tax bill and would like to share your story, please contact reporter Michaela Towfighi at mtowfighi@cmonitor.com.