HomeMy WebLinkAbout1978 06-14 $26,000 available in July for home improvement grants THE REVIEW 26 , OOO v�� i� � 9�/ 9/6pavailable in July
for home improvement grants
by Kathy Holmes telephone to determine whether they last January,is appreciative of the ceiling
qualify for a grant. insulation, fire walls, air vents, and
Eighteen Maplewood residents have Blank outlined the grant procedure.An repaired rain gutters that she was able to
benefitted from home improvemnt grants applicant's income is initially verified. obtain for her house.
since last July. The city had $25,000 to Then a housing inspector ascertains what The work was completed last month
grant those who demonstrated financial kinds of improvements are needed. and the contractor said that he would
need and home improvement necessities. The critical improvements are related come back periodically to check the
At a recent Maplewood City Council to energy conservation and health and gutter.
meeting, the council approved a total of safety,said Blank.Grants have been used "I don't think it was all that dragged out
$26,000 for grants from August 1, 1978 to install insulation, repair sewers, build for what they had to do," Mrs. Ferretti
through July, 1979. wells, repair roofs, windows, lalements said. "It was well organized and I'm
Eric Blank of Maplewood Community and wiring. satisfied."
Services administers these grants with Then the Maplewood HRA, using
authority from Metro Housing and the criteria such as age,safety problems and
Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. In the number of people living in the
order to receive a grant anywhere from dwelling, decides whether the applicant
$475 to $3,280, a household's annual ad- will receive funding.
justed income must be $5,000 or less. "Seventy percent of the applicants
There are deductions that bring a larger received funding last year," said Blank.
income to this level. The next step is the applicant's
"A divorced woman with four kids responsibility.Two written bid estimates
whose income is $6,000 will have $750 must be obtained from which Blank
deducted as head of the household and chooses the contractor. Then the entire
$500 off for each child,"explained Blank. grant package is sent to the Metro
He said an interested person could Housing Authority and after that, the
Housing Finance Agency, both of which
review the application and issue a
proceed to work order.
The whole process takes about three
months. After the work is finished, the
r city signs a completion form which is sent
back to the Metro Housing Authority.The
contractor is then paid directly by Metro
Housing.
A lean waiver is signed against the
property for six years so that if the
tI.
property is sold,a percentage of the grant
must be paid back.
Blank said that interested people can
see him at Community Services to get the
,.—., process underway, although the new
source of income won't be legally
ERIC BLANK available until the end of July.
1e Mrs. Frank Ferretti, 426 E. County
turning •C Road B, who received a grant of $1,405