Los Alamos Housing Partnership Executive Director Steve Brugger, left, and Los Alamos County Community Development Department Director Paul Andrus discuss the Home Renewal Program during a March 8 County Council meeting in Council Chambers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County’s Community Development Department and the Los Alamos Housing Partnership (LAHP) announced that the newly created Home Renewal Program will open for applications Wednesday, March 30.
Residents who meet low-income qualifications and require financial assistance to make repairs or improvements to their home are encouraged to apply for this subsidized loan program, which was approved and funded by the County Council last fall. One of the benefits of the new program is that homeowners are not required to make payments until the home is sold or vacated.
Examples of projects that may qualify for funding from the Home Renewal Program include window and door replacement, unsafe deck and porch repair or replacement, exterior siding and stucco repair/replacement, lead-based paint, asbestos and mold remediation, and roof repair or replacement.
Interested applicants should visit the LAHP website at www.losalamoshousingpartnership.org to download an informational brochure, an application, and other information about the program, including Policies and Procedures, and Housing Rehabilitation Standards. The application can be completed and submitted when the cycle opens on March 30. LAHP staff will begin reviewing applications and contacting applicants to discuss whether or not they qualify based on income, property and project eligibility criteria, and loan underwriting standards. If eligibility is determined, LAHP staff will work with the homeowner on a project funding plan and scope of work, and will solicit bids from a pool of qualified contractors.
The closing date for the cycle is Monday, May 16. LAHP will package all eligible applications received by the deadline to submit to a Loan Review Committee. The Council funded the program for $400,000 this year and the FY17 budget has proposed adding another $200,000 to support the new program. Applications will be prioritized according to the criteria in the Policies and Procedures manual. If funding requests exceed the amount of funding available, projects will be selected based on these established and documented priorities.
The Home Renewal Program was created as part of meeting the community’s goals for improving the existing housing stock within our community, especially for those individuals who may be in need of financial assistance in order to repair or improve their property for a variety of safety reasons or quality of life. For more information, contact LAHP at 505.662.8918.