Delaware County Bolsters Whole Home Repair Program with Additional $2.73M Funding from ARPA

Home improvement© Sladic / Getty Images Signature / Canva

MEDIA, PA — Delaware County Council recently announced it unanimously approved an additional $2,730,124 in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to bolster the Whole Home Repair Program (WHRP). The program assists income-qualified homeowners by providing necessary health, safety, and accessibility-related home repairs and modifications up to $50,000 per home.

This additional fund, coupled with the initial $4.4M funding from the PA Whole Home Repair Act (SB-1135) that was enacted in July 2022, furnishes Delaware County with a total of $7.12M. These funds will be directed towards the preservation of affordable housing and workforce development initiatives.

The program will be managed by the local affiliate office of Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware counties (Habitat MontDelco). The organization strives to address the aging housing stock of the County, preserve naturally occurring affordable homeownership, and prevent eligible homeowners from being displaced due to deferred and costly home repair and maintenance.

“Our homes are where we raise families, spend time with loved ones, and become members of the community and every resident deserves to live in a home that is safe and affordable,” said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. “The Whole-Home Repairs Program provides essential funding for residents in need, and we’re thankful that Habitat MontDelco will be administering these funds here in Delaware County.”

WHRP collaborates with locally vetted and insured contractors to implement work scopes determined by Habitat MontDelco’s internal home inspection team. The program also incorporates Occupational Therapists for instances of mobility challenges or other disabilities where accessible home modifications would enhance safety, health, and/or accessibility.

Eligible services under the program include roof repair and replacement, water heater replacement, porch repair and replacement, plumbing repairs, minor electrical repairs, bathroom repairs, zero-step entry solutions, among others.

For homeowners in Delaware County to qualify for this program, they must own a home in the County, which serves as their primary residence. They should be willing to partner with Habitat MontDelco by upholding the terms of the program agreement and must have a current homeowner’s insurance policy. Verification of being current on Property Taxes and Mortgage payments is also required. The total gross household income should fall below a specific amount, based on the household size.

Eligible residents are encouraged to take advantage of this program. To receive an application, they must first submit an inquiry with the program. After submission, Habitat MontDelco will notify the homeowner and send an application form when funding that meets the home’s needs becomes available.

As per the funding guidelines, all projects must be identified by the end of 2024 and all funds must be spent by the end of 2026. This implies that Habitat MontDelco will have to prioritize more urgent cases to meet grant obligations and timelines.

For more information about the program and about Habitat MontDelco, visit https://habitatmontdelco.org/about-us/.

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