State waiting for federal review of mortgage relief program

The state has submitted for review its plan to spend $50 million in federal funds to help homeowners financially strained during the pandemic by loss of income to pay their mortgages.

The U.S. Treasury Department is reviewing Alaska’s plan, along with those from other states.

“Our mortgage plan is with Treasury for review and approval,” Stacy Barnes, governmental affairs director at the Alaska Housing Finance Corp., said last week.

The $50 million is Alaska’s allocation of the $9.96 billion Congress appropriated for mortgage relief in the American Rescue Plan Act this past spring.

The assistan...