$50,000 Federal Grant Will Assist Homeowners in Need of Repairs
Wednesday, December 07, 2011
(Woodbury, NJ) – Gloucester County has received a $50,000 Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) from the US Department of Agriculture. The Housing Preservation Grant helps the county provide qualified low income residents with owner-occupied rehabilitation and emergency repairs to their homes.
“Each year the county works with eligible homeowners to make repairs to their homes so they are safe to occupy. These loans allow residents to fund repairs like heating and plumbing. Without the no-interest loan eligible residents may not be able to repair their home, and that could make it inhabitable and that could put a drain on an entire neighborhood,” said Director Robert M. Damminger.
Director Damminger said that the federal Housing Preservation Grant will allow the county to be able to rehabilitate an additional 10 homes in 2012.
Freeholder Heather Simmons said that the county is working on the rehabilitation of 40 homes in the county. The county had allocated $301,000 toward home rehabilitation this year.
Simmons said that the HPG funds received will be infused into the County’s federally funded Owner Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program that provides deferred no interest loans for recipient households.
Freeholder Simmons said, “These programs make homes more livable for the homeowners, increase property values, and serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. Our residents deserve to live in safe and sanitary homes and these programs are often a blessing to families who have nowhere else to turn.” Simmons is the Freeholder Liaison to the Department of Economic Development, the department who administers the program.
The policy goal for the use of funds is to repair or rehabilitate individual housing owned by very low- and low-income rural persons. Very low income is defined as at or below 30 percent of the area median income (AMI); low income is at or below 50 of AMI. A non-interest bearing lien is placed on properties in the program and full repayment of the loan is due when the property sells. Residents in the following municipalities are eligible:Clayton, Elk, Harrison, Paulsboro, Swedesboro and Woolwich.
For information on how to apply for the Owner-Occupied Home Rehabilitation program call 384-6868.
