Low-income seniors, veterans or persons with disabilities statewide may be eligible for vital home repairs and accessibility accommodations to address health and safety issues thanks to funding the NC Housing Finance Agency has awarded to local governments and nonprofit organizations across the state.
Award amounts range from $50,000 to $200,000 and were awarded to 32 organizations who offer rehabilitation and repair assistance in their communities through the NC Housing Finance Agency’s Urgent Repair Program (URP). URP makes funds available to qualified organizations to finance emergency home repairs and modifications for low-income homeowners with special needs.
Selected organizations can provide loans up to $8,000 per homeowner for emergency repairs.
Eligible projects must house one or more full-time household members with special needs (elderly, disabled, veteran or households with a child under the age of six whose health is threatened by the presence of lead hazards) and the household income must not exceed 50% of the area median income.
“The Urgent Repair Program has now assisted more than 14,342 households in all 100 counties with participation by more than 170 community partners,” said Agency Executive Director Scott Farmer. “This program has played a crucial role in ensuring that citizens can safely stay in their homes and avoid institutional care, which is also a cost savings for the state.”
Last year, 698 households were assisted with more than 71% of the beneficiaries being elderly and more than 51% having a disability. 2018 funds are expected to serve at least at least 607 homeowners in 44 counties.
Assistance will be available starting July 1. To apply, homeowners can find the community partner in their county at www.nchfa.com/homeownership-partners/community-partners/current-community-partners.
The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, a self-supporting public agency, has financed 269,000 homes and apartments since its creation in 1973.
