Grants can help low-income families with much-needed home repairs.
According to a 2008 article from the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization, one-third of American families are low income and many don't make enough money to cover the everyday costs of living, despite the fact that 80 percent of these families have one or more members with full-time jobs. When you're not making enough to keep food on the table, other expenses such as home repair may not be on the top of your priority list. Several government grants are available to help low-income families pay for home repairs. Does this Spark an idea?
USDA Rural Development Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office offers grants to low-income homeowners through the Rural Repair and Rehabilitation Loans and Grants program. The program provides grants to "very low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their dwellings or to remove health and safety hazards," according to grant guidelines. To be eligible, homeowners must make less than 50 percent of the median income of their area and be unable to obtain credit for home repairs. Grant funds can only be used to remove health or safety hazards. Grants range up to $7,500. If the home is sold within three years, homeowners may have to pay back the grant.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Rural Development Office
1400 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20250
202-690-1533
rurdev.usda.gov
King County Housing Authority
Washington State's King County Housing Authority offers grants through the Housing Repair and Weatherization program. Most grants are awarded to households run by seniors, people with disabilities or families with young children. Households in King County, outside of the Seattle city limits, that make less than 80 percent of the area median income are eligible. Repairs must improve health or safety, and can include projects such as "roof replacement; septic system repair; repair or replacement of rotted flooring or stairs; plumbing repairs; electrical repairs; deteriorated structure repair; or accessibility modifications, such as construction of wheelchair ramps," according to grant guidelines. Houses built before 1978 will also receive lead-based paint evaluation.
King County Housing Authority
Housing Repair and Weatherization
5200 Southcenter Blvd.
Suite 280
Tukwila, WA 98188
206-214-1240
kcha.org
City of Tallahassee
The City of Tallahassee, Florida, offers repair grants for low-income residents. The Emergency Home Repair grant program provides up to $10,000 to "improve the living conditions of income-based homeowners by removing health and safety hazards and/or architectural barriers," according to grant guidelines. Funds can be used for urgent home repair needs, energy retrofits and accessibility improvements. To qualify, applicants must make less than 50 percent of the area median income. The city also offers grants of up to $2,500 to low-income homeowners who are in violation of city codes. Grant funds must be used to make repairs to bring homes into compliance with code regulations.
City of Tallahassee
435 North Macomb St.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850-891-6500
talgov.com
Tags: health safety, King County, according grant, according grant guidelines, City Tallahassee, County Housing
