Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council

Access to Home Housing Rehabilitation Program

20223050

FACT SHEET

 

Work under this program will be limited to accessibility retrofitting to make the home easier for the resident to live in.  These work items will be determined after meetings with the applicant, WCCRC’s staff as well as any social service workers the Resident may have a relationship with.   Family members are encouraged to participate.

 

Participant Eligibility:

• Individual must have a disability or have substantial difficulty with daily living activities due to aging with written evidence from a health care provider or social security disability letter.
• Total household income must be at or below 80% of the County Median Income, or 120% percent for veterans certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or Department of Defense as entitled to receive disability payments for disability incurred during time of war.
• Assisted unit must be the primary and permanent residence of the participant and within the service area.

 

Residents of the Towns listed below are eligible to apply:

Delaware County:    Harpersfield, Kortright, Middletown, Roxbury, and Stamford
Greene County:        Ashland, Halcott, Hunter, Jewett, Lexington, and Prattsville,
Schoharie County:   Blenheim, Broome, Conesville, Fulton, Gilboa, Jefferson, and Summit

 

Households with income levels at or below 80% of the County Median Income (CMI) in which you live are eligible for this program. Current Income maximums are shown below.

Household Size	Delaware County 80% Maximum Income	Greene County 80% Maximum Income	Schoharie County 80% Maximum Income
1	$45,500	$46,850	$62,850
2	$52,000	$53,550	$71,800
3	$58,500	$60,250	$80,800
4	$64,950	$66,900	$89,750
5	$70,150	$72,300	$96,950
6	$75,350	$77,650	$104,150
7	$80,550	$83,000	$111,300
8	$85,750	$88,350	$118,500

 

HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME

1. All persons living in the home, related or unrelated, will be considered as part of the household.
2. All income earned by members of the household over 18 years of age will be considered as household income. We use Federal adjusted gross income figures.
3. Income includes: Salaries, Alimony, SSI, SSD or SS, Veteran’s Benefits, Pensions/Retirement, Unemployment Benefits, Rental Income, Tips, Worker’s Compensation.

Anyone having a question pertaining to determination of the size of the household or determination of household income may call a WCCRC staff member to discuss it.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application must include copies of all information requested below.  WCCRC staff will not make copies for you, and we cannot return originals. Once you have all necessary items for the application, please call WCCRC’s office.

You must always call the office at 607-652-2823  ex. 102 to set up an appointment before coming into the office.

Information needed with application:

• If you own the home, a copy of most recent deed to your home; be certain that the book and page number – where deed is filed – and the property description are on the deed. All people named on the deed will need to sign the application.
• Copy of the last year of town (and village if appropriate) and school tax bills and paid receipts signed by the clerk – be certain that the section, block and lot numbers can be identified. County tax plans are accepted and must be current.
• If applicable, copy of municipal water/sewer bills, showing that payment is current.
• Copy of Federal Income Tax Form 1040 (2 most recent years) for all household income earners.

                        Copy of W2 forms (2 years) for all household income earners

                        Copies of current pay stubs reflecting 1 month of pay for all household income earners

                        Other proof of income (social security award letter, pension, etc.)

                        Copies of the most recent 2 months bank statements

• If you own the home, a copy of Homeowner’s Insurance (declaration page showing coverage dates and values). Proof of payment.
• Asset information. Assets include: Checking and Savings accounts, CDs, Stocks, IRAs, Whole Life Insurance (not Term Life), pension accounts [401(k), 403(b)], pending tax refund, and property not connected to your primary residence.
• Completed Mortgage Verification Form stating that your mortgage is paid up to date and the amount of the current principal balance
• Copy of documentation for all persons in the household, showing proof of age (e.g. copy of driver’s license)

Work will be done based on the following priorities:   

Modifications could include but are not limited to:

• wheelchair ramps and lifts, handrails, expanded doorways and stair glides;
• 36” wide doorways with off-set hinges on doors;
• Roll-in showers with grab bars, bathtub grab bars and seats, hand-held shower;
• non-skid flooring;
• appliances that respond to verbal commands;
• easy-to-reach work and storage areas and other kitchen modifications;
• outlets at 18” instead of 12”; light switches at 42” instead of 48” from the floor;
• electrical installation of special thermostatic or environmental controls, luminous light switches;
• strobe light or vibrator-assisted smoke and burglar alarms;
• re-locating a bathroom or bedroom to the first floor;
• low-cost measures such as traction tape on stairways, levered door handles or additional outside lighting.

All adaptations should meet the individualized needs of the occupants of the unit that requires the modifications.

When you have filled out the application with copies of the required information (Items a-h, above):

1. Call WCCRC’s Program staff to make an appointment so that staff can review the application with you for completeness. If the application or documentation is incomplete, you must make another appointment. Staff will only accept your application when it is complete. When the application has been accepted as complete, and eligibility has been determined, we will discuss rehab needs.
2. Set up an appointment with the WCCRC Financial & Housing Counselor to review your financial situation and ensure that you can continue to maintain the rehabilitation work done on your house, if approved.
3. WCCRC’s Project Manager will set up an appointment with you to arrange a site visit and an inspection of the rehab work needed. If your house was built before 1978 it may need a lead test. The Project Manager will prepare a Work Write-Up that will include the scope of work to be bid on and the contractor’s general conditions. The participant must sign off that they approve the work write up.
4. After the Work Write-Up is approved, contractors will visit your home to prepare estimates. The contractors will discuss options available.  All materials and fixtures must fall within the moderate price range. All contractors must provide proof of worker’s compensation and liability insurance. Participants who are contractors are not permitted to do their own work on their homes.
5. Once we have received the sealed bids a date will be set for a bid opening with the Participant. The Participant may select the higher bidder but will be required to pay the difference between the low and higher bid.
6. WCCRC will prepare the contract paperwork for the grant award and the construction contract. You will be notified when paperwork is ready for your signature and you will be required to sign it at the WCCRC office, which is handicapped accessible.
7. The contractor can then proceed with the scope of work within the time frames indicated.
8. There will be a lien placed on your home after the work is completed. The lien will be in effect for three (3) years. The amount of the lien will be equal to the amount of the grant. If the house is sold or not maintained within the lien period the grant will be recaptured according to the following schedule: Months 0-12: 100% repayment due, Months 13-24: 67% repayment due, Months 25-36: 34% repayment due, After the 36th Month: 0% repayment due. When the lien is up, WCCRC will issue the paperwork for the Lien Release and send it to the Participant; it is the Participant’s responsibility to file that paperwork with the County Clerk.

Participant Responsibilities

• You will be required to make several trips to the WCCRC office in Stamford during the You will need to make sure you call the office to schedule an appointment before coming because there are times when the staff is out of the office and you may make a wasted trip.  The office is handicapped accessible.
• Your signature will be needed on a grant agreement, construction contract(s), several checks, inspection reports, forms and paperwork during the course of the project.
• The WCCRC Construction Supervisor will visit your home to determine what your project requires. .  Once we receive at least two (2) bids on your project, a bid opening will be scheduled.  You are required to attend the bid opening.
• You will need to be familiar with all phases of the work being done at your home. This is your project and your contract with the contractor. You will be responsible for monitoring the work. Any change orders must be approved and signed by WCCRC, the Participant, and the contractor before the change order work is started.
• If there is anything that you are not satisfied with, you need to make the contractor and WCCRC aware of it immediately­­––do not wait until the job is finished when it is too late to correct the problem.
• You will be required to sign a Property Maintenance Declaration (PMD) that will be notarized and filed with the County Clerk’s Office and commit to a three-year maintenance term. The PMD states that during the maintenance term you will maintain the property in good operating order and condition; not sell, move, demolish, or materially alter the property without the prior written consent of WCCRC; and if rental units become vacant, they will be marketed and made affordable to persons of low-income and living with a disability.
• You will be required to re-certify annually for the length of the lien term (three years after date of final inspection). Re-certification is in the form of a letter attesting that you continue to occupy the home as your primary residence and that the home is being maintained in good condition. If the signed letter is not returned in a timely fashion, you will receive a Non-Compliance Warning and the lien will be frozen.
• Title 18, Section 1001 of the U.S. Code states that a person is guilty of a felony for knowingly and willingly making false or fraudulent statements to any department of the United States Government.

If you have any questions, please call and ask before bringing your application to the office.

Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council, Inc.

125 Main Street, Suite A

Stamford, NY 12167

(607) 652-2823 x 102

When you have your application filled out and have copies of all the required paperwork,

call WCCRC to make an appointment to meet with the Program Staff.

Please bring copies of all required documents when you come to WCCRC for your application review.

We cannot accept incomplete applications or make copies for you.