Housing Improvement Grant
- Details
- Created on Tuesday, 09 February 2016 15:44
- Written by Dylan Robichaud
LYNDONVILLE- Low-income homeowners in the North East Kingdom may very soon get financial assistance in repairing their homes. Rural Edge, a local non-profit organization that assists in improving poverty, is in the process of seeking a $200,000 housing preservation grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to repair homes.
“It’s a definite need here in the North East Kingdom because we do have the oldest housing stock here in the nation", says Peg Hale, the Director of the home ownership center at Rural Edge.
Recipients will either get a low interest loan and/or grant money to make the improvements necessary to bring their home up to housing quality standards. Some of the improvements include new roofs, septic systems, wells, foundations, and weatherization items.
“It helps the families who can’t go to the local bank or credit union to get a loan, and it provides them with a very low interest loan or the potential for the grant depending on their eligibility,” Hale says. “Doing any repairs to a home can be extremely stressful, a lot of our households aren’t sure what to do, and we help guide them through the process,” she said.
In order to become eligible for the grant you must get a packet from Rural Edge, which will include paperwork that needs to be filled out. You must be in the bottom 80% of the average household median income. For a family of 4, you must earn at or below $32,350 to qualify, and a family of two must earn at or below $25,900 to be eligible. You also need to own the property, and have your taxes and insurance paid.
Rural Edge also plans to help more people this year, then in previous years. In the last 6 years rural edge received a $100,000 grant, which helped 15-20 households, but this year they are planning to help 35 households. The deadline for applicants in March 12th.
