City lands $100K home repair grant
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on May 13, 2017 11:38 PM
The city of Goldsboro has netted a $100,000 N.C. Housing Finance Agency grant that will help low-income homeowners with housing repairs that address safety concerns.
The HFA's urgent repair funding will be provided to eligible homeowners in the form of loans but without interest costs and forgiven at a rate of $1,000 per year, said Shycole Simpson-Carter, Goldsboro community relations director.
"Homeowners will receive assistance in the form of a unsecured deferred, interest-free loan, forgiven at a rate of $1,000 per year until the principal balance is reduced to zero," Simpson-Carter said. "These funds are only for repairs that address imminent threats to the life and, or safety of occupants of the dwelling unit."
Applications for funding will be accepted through the Goldsboro Community Relations Department in late May, City officials expect to provide funding to 15 homeowners through the program.
Urgent repair funds will be offered to residents living in very-low and low-income households that meet certain criteria, including repair needs that cannot be met through other state or federal funding sources. The assistance will also be provided to people with special needs, including the elderly, handicapped, disabled, a single parent with a dependent, a large family with five household members or a home with a child below the age of 6, with an elevated blood lead level.
The amount of the loan will depend on the amount of work needed to remove potential life and safety concerns, a process that will be determined by the city's community development staff. The maximum amount of each loan is $8,000.
For more information, the Goldsboro Community Relations Department can be reached at 580-4359.