City has $100,000 in fund for repairs to low-income homes
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on April 27, 2015 1:46 PM
Low-income and special needs homeowners in Goldsboro will be able to apply for help with home repairs up to $8,000, beginning in August.
The city's Planning and Community Development Department has received $100,000 from the state Housing Finance Agency to implement an urgent repair program running from Aug. 1, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2016.
The money will go towards alleviating housing conditions that pose an imminent threat to the life and safety of low and low-income homeowners.
"You can do things like roof repair or replacement, anything dealing with electrical and plumbing -- it's sort of like a rehabilitation but on a smaller scale," said Shycole Simpson-Carter, who is heading up the project. "With these repairs you can only do what is considered an imminent threat that would displace a person. Someone may need a handicap accessible bathroom. We can expand the door to the bathroom, we can give you a totally handicap accessible bathroom from the tub to the sink, even to the grab bars around the toilet. We can replace the flooring, or replace windows if they are painted shut and would prevent someone from opening them."
She said the city is looking to help a minimum of 15 homeowners, and has a goal of helping 21.
Residents may begin applying for the forgivable loans immediately, she said, and money will be disbursed to qualifying homeowners until funds are no longer available.
"You're finding a lot more people are moving into senior communities, and with the urgent repair program one of the goals surrounding it is to keep you in your home," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said. "There's nothing wrong with going into a senior community, but we think a well-balanced life is home ownership. I think for us to be awarded the grant, the NCHFA saw that we both had the capacity to do it and saw that there is a need for us to have those funds to help people in Goldsboro."
Anyone seeking a loan would need to provide proof of income and be the owner of the home, she said. The loans are forgivable, which means the homeowner would pay no cost and the full amount will be forgiven by NCHFA.
There is a limit of one loan per home for repairs up to, and not exceeding, $8,000. The same home cannot receive two separate loans, she said.
Any money not spent in the program by Dec. 31, 2016, will be returned to the NCHFA.
"Hopefully there won't be any money left over," Mrs. Simpson-Carter said. "I don't think we'll have a problem (spending all $100,000) because we get calls daily (asking for help with repairs), and we have a waiting list. Each home may not take up to $8,000, so we may do more than 15."