NORRISTOWN, PA— The Montgomery County Commissioners recently announced the launch of the County’s Whole Home Repairs Program (WHRP). Administered by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), the Whole Home Repairs Program aims to provide eligible homeowners with grants up to $50,000 to address safety concerns, improve energy or water efficiency, and make units accessible for individuals with disabilities.
“As County Commissioners, one of our responsibilities is to support the most vulnerable among us. The Whole Home Repairs Program strategically targets Montgomery County’s low-income households who may have deferred repairs in order to simply keep a roof above their heads,” said Jamila H. Winder, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “A grant of up to $50,000 will allow homeowners to make their homes more structurally sound, energy-efficient, accessible, and safe.”
“Whole Home Repairs is a first-of-its-kind, transformative piece of housing and climate legislation,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Neil Makhija. Our communities are experiencing both a housing affordability crisis and a climate crisis, and this initiative addresses both for the 865,000 residents of Montgomery County. As severe weather events increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change, all of our homes need to be safe from extreme weather and flooding. The Whole Home Repairs Program will give Montgomery County homeowners access the funds needed to weatherize their homes so that everyone has a safe place to live.”
“One of our goals of this program is to ensure that Montgomery County residents, especially households with young children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, can keep their homes safe and functioning,” said Montgomery County Commissioner Thomas DiBello. “And the impacts will be long-ranging from lower utility bills today to updated housing stock for future generations.”
Applications opened for a 50-day window, beginning on February 22, and will closing on April 12. Homeowners whose household income does not exceed 80% of the area median income will be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 per owner-occupied unit. Median income is dependent on the size of the household.
1 person – $62,500
2 person – $71,400
3 person – $80,350
4 person – $89,250
Officials estimate that the number of applications will far exceed the availability of funds. Therefore, WHRP will use a dynamic, targeted, equitable prioritization process to prioritize applications based on risk factors described on the program website. Prioritized factors include homes located within the Justice40 census tracts; households with vulnerable populations such as young children, seniors, or individuals with disabilities; and pre-1940 and pre-1978 housing stock. The full list is available at: www.montgomerycountypa.gov/homerepairs.
Based upon funding for the program, Montgomery County aims to equitably target at least 100 to 150 homes to receive repairs, weatherization, and/or improvements.
OHCD will assess all submitted applications and coordinate across the County’s existing home repair programs to help direct interested applicants to the program most suitable for their needs.
The Whole Home Repairs Program is funded by appropriated federal funds of the Federal State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund from the American Rescue Plan Act through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). All funds will be obligated by December 31, 2024.
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