CROTHERSVILLE
As many as 15 homeowners in Crothersville could receive funding to make home improvements.
The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs recently announced the Community Development Block Grant’s Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Program has opened for applications.
The pilot program aims to empower Indiana communities to directly fund homeowners of low- to moderate income to make needed repairs on their homes, including roofing, heating and cooling replacement, lighting and electrical upgrades, water heater replacement and Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility up to the threshold of the home.
Each household could be granted up to $15,000 in repairs that are offered at no cost to the homeowner.
The Crothersville Town Council recently agreed to apply for the grant and provide the required 10% local match and also unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Administrative Resources association to submit the application.
Tara Hagan, grants and projects manager for ARa, said the town will apply for $250,000 to benefit about 15 homes, so that means the town’s match would be $25,000.
Applications from homeowners currently are being accepted and may be picked up at the town hall, 111 E. Howard St., Crothersville. The town must have at least 10 applicants for Crothersville to qualify to apply.
To qualify, a person must live within town limits and own their home, and the home must be single-family, owner-occupied, insured and on a permanent foundation and not in the floodplain. Most mobile homes and contract sales are not eligible.
The homeowner also must meet these income guidelines (at or below):
- One person in household, $37,450
- Two people in household, $42,800
- Three people in household, $48,150
- Four people in household, $53,450
- Five people in household, $57,750
- Six people in household, $62,050
- Seven people in household, $66,300
Applicants will be scored on the following criteria:
- Elderly household, two points
- Disabled household, two points
- Female head of household, two points
- 50 to 60% area median income, three points
- 40 to 50% area median income, four points
- 30 to 40% area median income, five points
- Less than 30% area median income, six points
Those who plan to apply are encouraged to attend a public hearing at 11 a.m. Aug. 16 in the meeting room at the town hall. The program will be discussed during that meeting, questions will be answered and applications will be available.
OCRA will accept applications from communities through 11:59 p.m. Aug. 28.