Thursday, May 19, 2011

Housing Rehabilitation Grants

NEWS RELEASE

The City of Roland still has funding available to process approximately two more houses under the Housing Rehabilitation Program. This Program is a grant through the State of Iowa to help pay for the cost of rehabilitating single-family, residential structures located within the City limits.

The purpose of the Program is to assist low to moderate income persons to rehabilitate their homes in compliance with Iowa’s Minimum Housing Rehabilitation Standards. Typical repairs may include re-roofing, foundation repair, window repair and/or replacement, painting, re-siding, electrical, heating and plumbing work.

The City can provide assistance to made needed repairs for qualified applicants in the form of a deferred payment loan. If the owner occupies, and there is no sale or transfer of the house for five years, there will be no repayment obligation on the deferred loan portion. A sale prior to the five years would likely require at least a partial repayment of the grant funds. A mortgage and promissory note (lien against the property) will be executed and recorded. The amount of the assistance will be based on value of property and amount of work needed.

The home must be a single-family structure. The applicant must be the owner-occupant and must have resided in the dwelling for at least six months prior to application, and the household gross income must be below the following guidelines:

1 person and the total household income is below - $41,450

2 persons and the total household income is below - $47,400

3 persons and the total household income is below - $53,300

4 persons and the total household income is below - $59,200

5 persons and the total household income is below - $63,950

6 persons and the total household income is below - $68,700

7 persons and the total household income is below - $73,450

8+ persons and the total household income is below - $78,150

Other eligibility requirements include verification that property taxes, special assessments and mortgage payments are current, and the condition and type of property. Properties being purchased under Contract Sales or mobile homes are not eligible.

Applications are honored on a first-come, first-qualified basis. Applications are available to pick up at City Hall, or by contacting Simmering-Cory, Inc. (the City’s Program Administrators) at 641-357-7554. Questions can be answered by calling Melanie Mitchell at Simmering-Cory, Inc. at 641-357-7554. Equal Housing Opportunity