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Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council

Community Development Block Grant

Schoharie County Project # 1142MH302-23

Owner Occupied Mobile Home Replacement Program

 

FACT SHEET

Grants will be awarded for manufactured home replacement only for sole and primary, owner-occupied residences in the Schoharie County towns of Blenheim, Broome, Conesville, Fulton, Gilboa, Jefferson, or Summit. Work will be done based on HUD Construction Quality Standards.

HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND HOUSEHOLD INCOME

  1. All persons living in the home, related or unrelated, will be considered part of the household.
  2. All income earned by members over 18 years old in the household will be considered household income. We use Federal adjusted gross income.
  3. Owner occupants whose income is at or below 80% of the Schoharie County Median Income as adjusted for household size are eligible to apply. Complete applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis.
Household Maximum
Size Income

(80% CMI)

1 $66,000
2 $75,400
3 $84,450
4 $94,250
5 $101,800
6 $109,350
7 $116,900
8 $124,450

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application must include copies of all the information requested below.  WCCRC staff cannot make copies for you, and we cannot return originals. Only complete applications including attachments will be accepted during an intake meeting.

Please call 607-652-2823 ex. 107 to set up an appointment before coming into the office.

 

Information needed with application:

  1. Copy of deed; be certain that the book and page number where the deed is filed, and the property description is on the deed.
  2. Copy of last year’s Town (and Village if appropriate) and school tax paid receipts signed by the tax collector; be certain that the section, block and lot numbers can be identified. County tax plans are accepted and must be current.
  3. Copy of Federal Income Taxes (2 years)
  4. Copy of W2 and 1099 forms (2 years)
  5. Copies of most recent month of pay stubs
  6. Other proof of income (social security, disability, pension, etc.)
  7. Two months’ bank statements
  8. Most recent electric bill
  9. Copy of most recent Homeowner’s Insurance (declaration page).
  10. If you have a mortgage or equity line, a completed Mortgage Verification Form.
  11. If applicable, copy of municipal water / sewer bills, showing that payment is current.
  12. Asset information. Assets include: Checking and Savings accounts; CDs; Stocks, Whole (not term) Life Insurance; and any property not connected to your primary residence. For this grant, retirement investments such as IRAs and 401ks will not be considered assets.

 

When you have filled out the application and have copies of the required information:

  1. Call WCCRC to make an appointment so that staff can review the application with you for completeness. If the application is incomplete, we will return it to you. When the application is complete, and preliminary eligibility has been determined, you will be directed to the WCCRC Financial & Housing Counselor.
  2. Set up an appointment with the WCCRC Financial & Housing Counselor to review your financial situation and ensure that you can continue to maintain your new dwelling. Participants must also attend a four-part Homeownership Academy.
  3. WCCRC’s Project Manager will set up an appointment with you to arrange a site visit and inspection. Property needs will be assessed including manufactured home replacement, slab foundation, septic, well, and electric.
  4. Once all eligibility requirements are met, you will receive a letter of determination. If approved, the manufactured home replacement project will move forward.
  5. WCCRC’s Project Manager will prepare a Work Write-Up that will include the scope of work to be bid on. The homeowner will be required to review and sign off on all work to be done. A contractors’ bid walk will be scheduled for the project so that all attendees may submit a sealed bid. Homeowners who are contractors are not permitted to do work on their homes.
  6. Once WCCRC receives the bids, a date will be set for a bid opening with the homeowner and contractor. It is mandatory that the homeowners attend this bid opening. WCCRC will prepare the paperwork for the grant awards and the construction contracts and you will be required to sign it at the WCCRC office.
  7. WCCRC’s grant programs pay for the lowest qualified bid, but the homeowner may select a higher bidder. If this is the case, the homeowner will be required to pay the difference between the lowest bid and the higher bid. In the case of manufactured homes, you will make an appointment with the winning bidder and select the style of the home. Any desired style upgrades must be paid for separately by the homeowner.
  8. Please note: There will be a lien placed on your home after the work is completed. The lien will be in effect for ten (10) years. The amount of the lien will be equal to the amount of the grant. Within five years of the receipt of the grant, if the house is sold or vacated for any reason, 100% of the grant will be recaptured. The recapture amount will decrease by 20% each year afterwards on the lien. When the lien is up, WCCRC will issue the paperwork for the lien release and send it to the homeowner. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to file that paperwork with the County Clerk.

Homeowner Responsibilities:

  • You will be required to make several trips to the WCCRC office in Stamford during the program. Your signature will be needed on grant agreements, construction contracts, several checks, forms and paperwork during the course of the project. You must call ahead to schedule an appointment.
  • All items must be removed from the home prior to demolition. It is your responsibility to remove and store your belongings.
  • You will need to find alternate living arrangements while the home is being demolished and replaced. This may be approximately 3 months. No one is permitted to stay on the property during this time.
  • A meeting with the WCCRC Housing Counselor is mandatory to participate in this program along with the participation in, and completion of, Homeownership Academy. The mission of Homeownership Academy is to help families applying for manufactured home replacement grants sustain and retain their homes. This is accomplished by WCCRC providing a series of housing classes and individual counseling sessions that enhance common homeowner knowledge such as budgeting, insurance, taxes, banking, home maintenance, etc. These classes are designed to prepare homeowners for the changes that will come with owning a new manufactured home.
  • 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 along with WCCRC. 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.
  • The homeowner is responsible for obtaining the Building Permit and paying any associated fees. The job cannot proceed until the proper paperwork is filed in the WCCRC office.
  • Change orders must be pre-approved by WCCRC and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Any un-approved change orders will not be reimbursed with grant funds. A final inspection will be done on your home by the WCCRC program staff.
  • You will be required to sign a Note and Mortgage instrument which includes a Property Maintenance Declaration (PMD) that will be notarized and filed with the County Clerk’s Office and commit to a ten-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.
  • You will be required to re-certify annually for the length of the lien term (ten years after date of final inspection). Re-certification is in the form of a letter stating 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.

Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council, Inc.

125 Main Street, Suite A   Stamford, NY 12167

(607) 652-2823 ex. 107

When you have your application filled out and have copies of all the required documents, call WCCRC to make an appointment.