The critical work that everyday American heroes do enhances all of our lives, and it is our duty to support them wherever we can. For many public service professionals, the dream of homeownership can feel out of reach due to the upfront financial requirements. The Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund (EHHAF) is dedicated to changing that reality. EHHAF assists everyday community heroes, specifically including postal workers and social workers, by providing them with free gift funds to help cover closing costs when purchasing a home.
What is the Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund?
The Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund, founded in 2011, is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. EHHAF is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization, formed in 2006 for exclusively charitable and educational purposes. The core mission of EHHAF is to expand housing opportunities to teachers, doctors, nurses, postal workers, fire and police professionals, and social workers and to promote the value of homeownership as the foundation for building strong communities and personal security for men and women serving their communities. You can learn more about our history and mission on our About EHHAF page.
The roots of this mission began in 2005 when a Denver Colorado based company called Legacy Housing Assistance Fund opened its doors and sought to help community heroes own a home. Since its founding, the program has helped thousands of families get into their dream homes, and in the process, the organization has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars in gift funds to help cover closing costs.
How the Closing Cost Assistance Program Works
The EHHAF program is designed to keep out of pocket costs to a minimum and financial benefits to a maximum during the home buying process. The program costs nothing to utilize; the grant funds are free, never have to be repaid, and the services provided by EHHAF are completely free.
Over the last 20 years, EHHAF has recruited, interviewed, and trained a national network of passionate, dedicated real estate agents and mortgage lenders. This highly experienced and highly specialized network allows EHHAF to connect postal workers and social workers with a team that will do everything they can to secure closing cost assistance funds. These professionals are experts in negotiating for concessions on behalf of community heroes and are passionate about fighting for every dollar deserved during the home buying process.
To ensure the program works effectively, applicants must use the real estate agents and lenders within the EHHAF approved network. The organization cannot offer the same assistance and results if an applicant uses an agent or lender outside of this trained network.
The Application Process
Getting started with the EHHAF program involves submitting an application through the EHHAF website. Then, applicants will have an orientation conversation with an EHHAF agent, who will explain the full and complete details of the EHHAF program. Once that conversation has been completed, they will move the application to the next step and assign a lending team to get the pre approval process completed. Once the pre approval letter has been issued, applicants will be assigned a real estate agent in the area in which they are wanting to make their home purchase.
It is important to note that while EHHAF provides gift funds for closing costs, applicants are still responsible for down payments, pre paids, inspection fees, and earnest money, just as they would be with any standard real estate purchase. The gift funds are typically returned in the form of a reimbursement check after the home purchase is complete.
Eligibility for Postal and Social Workers
The EHHAF program is specifically dedicated to helping service professionals and their families become homeowners. This explicitly includes postal workers and social workers.
The services are available nationally, with the current exceptions of Alaska (AK), Ohio (OH), and New York (NY). Furthermore, the assistance is for home buyers only; EHHAF does not offer rental assistance.
While EHHAF can work with individuals who have credit issues, it is necessary to have the credit capability required to qualify for a mortgage. The approved lenders within the EHHAF network are very open and transparent about the costs associated with a home purchase and any out of pocket fees required.
Real Success Stories
The impact of the EHHAF program is best illustrated by the families it has helped. At Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund, it is their mission to work with public service workers and help them get into new homes while helping them reduce their closing costs.
If you are a postal worker or a social worker looking to purchase a home, the Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund is here to help you navigate the process and reduce your financial burden.