About the Program
The
County of Blair’s Rehabilitation Program is a way by which elderly and lower
income homeowners can make or keep their homes safe, decent, and affordable.
This is accomplished by providing financial and technical assistance where they
live.
The
program helps preserve home ownership by offering a means for homeowners with
limited resources to complete necessary work without the risk of losing
the home to unmanageable debt
The
Rehabilitation Program promotes stably and livability while adding value to the
neighborhood as a whole by assisting individual homes in need of repair due to
lack of financial or technical resources.
Financial Assistance
The
maximum amount of assistance available for rehabilitation is $ 24,000 per
unit.
Assistance
will be given in the form of 100% forgivable loan. The term “grant” is
used for ease of usage and the fact that no repayment is required except in
those instances when forgiveness is terminated.
The
grant shall be forgiven over a five-year period, as long as the applicant
continues to reside within the home during the forgiveness period, the
homeowner will have no payback to the housing rehabilitation program.
Forgiveness
is reduced by one-sixtieth 1/60 each month. On the fifth-year
anniversary, the grant shall be forgiven. Forgiveness is terminated if
the applicant no longer resides or decides to sale, transfer, convey or if the
applicant’s equitable interest is extinguished. The remaining portion is
returned then back to the program.
Common Repairs Include
▪
Safe water and sanitation systems ▪ Adequate and safe heating systems ▪
Electrical and plumbing to meet code▪ Correcting structural problems ▪ Retrofit
for persons with disabilities ▪ Replacement of roofs, gutters, doors &
windows ▪ Energy efficient upgrades of home ▪ Any condition that can cause an
eminent hazard to the occupants.
Technical Assistance
A
Housing Rehabilitation Specialist will assist homeowners in determining the
repairs needed, prepare construction documents, inspect work and authorize
payments as the work progresses.
Where
required, homes will be tested for Radon and Lead Based Paint. If these hazards
are present, the extent and level of mitigation may vary depending on the type
and amount of rehabilitation to be undertaken.
Minimum Qualifications
1. You must be the owner of the home (title in your name) and live in the home as your primary residents.
2. Your home must be located in any of the 22 eligible municipalities, homeowners location in the City of Altoona and Logan Township are not eligible under the County's program.
3. Homeowners must be current on taxes and have no other outstanding debt with Blair County.
4. Your combined household income must be below Income Limits Set by HUD below:
Household
Size
|
1 Person
|
2 Persons
|
3 Persons
|
4 Persons
|
5 Persons
|
6 Persons
|
7 Persons
|
8 Persons
|
Total
Combined Yearly Household Income
|
$35,400
|
$40,450
|
$45,500
|
$50,550
|
$54,600
|
$58,650
|
$62,700 |
$66,507 |