  Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 512 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 70.229.231.102 |
Neighbors of mine badly need a new roof, porch, gutters, etc. The house, which is owner-occupied, is literally falling down. A tarp keeps rain out. They say that they are waiting for a grant to start fixing the place up, as they are both on disabiliies and are "low-income" (their charactorization). They aren't looking for a low-interest loan that would have to be paid back. My question is: are there still government grants available which will cover these fix-ups? I have a depressed feeling that they (and the neighbors) will have to wait a long time since the government is fighting a war and there is all the clean-up from Katrina to be financed. Can anyone on this forum assess the current availibilty of residential improvement grants for Detroiters? | ||
Irish_mafia Member Username: Irish_mafia Post Number: 556 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 75.9.255.242 |
One source says this: I think the City of Detroit has a program that would assist with this. Someone would have to cotact the Ombudsman and be directed from there. Also there is a program that works on houses in August - businesses volunteer their time to low-income people who are in need of work on their houses. You may also want to contact the County they may be of some assistance. | ||
Ilovedetroit Member Username: Ilovedetroit Post Number: 2362 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.246.54.234 |
Or contact President Cockrel's office...I have heard of this program to. Since he is president he has a larger staff and thus more folks to answer questions like this. | ||
Detroitteacher Member Username: Detroitteacher Post Number: 116 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
Here is the link to info about such grants for Detroit residents. http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/pl andevl/HousingServices/hsg_srv _home.htm | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1660 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 134.215.223.211 |
Detroitteacher provided the link to the program they'd be able to use. Having administered the program for the city in the past, it sounds like your neighbors would likely meet all the criteria for the Minor Home Repair program. This program has a lot of people apply for a very limited pot of money. Your neighbors will have to follow every step and detail of the program to a T to make sure they aren't dropped at some point in the process. If you really want to see them get the grant you may want to help them with the application since there are a lot of forms and backup documentation needed. It's not overly burdensome, but if you're disabled it can be tough to get around town to get the documents you need (deed, copy of insurance, etc.). Since you're in SW Detroit I'd give Marty (Martha) Delgado a call at Bagley Housing. I don't know if she and/or Bagley Housing currently work with the program but Marty was my supervisor with the Minor and Senior Home Repair program at another organization and she would know the ins and outs of it as well as have some pull downtown in making this happen. Your neighbors would need to be aware that the program is a forgivable loan. A lien is placed on the house for those two years. If they stay in the house for two years the loan will be completely forgiven. If they move during that period the loan will need to be repaid on a pro-rated basis (i.e. if they moved a year after the repairs they'd have to repay 1/2 of the loan). | ||
Psewick Member Username: Psewick Post Number: 32 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.235.110.46 |
I have been trying for three months to obtain a grant from that same department to help low-income residents pay for closing costs on their first home (if it's in the city, of course). They have spent the last three months coming up with creative excuses to delay producing the funds, and now they haven't returned my calls for the last several days. Good luck. | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 513 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 70.229.231.102 |
Psewick: this is a a scenario that I thought might occur. It seems to me that grants were hard to get paid when economic times were better than they are now. Some community groups waited years for allocated funds to be paid out. Now, I wonder if 1) Federal monies aren't in very short supply for areas that are not in Katrina's path and 2) if such funds as have made their way to Detroit are not being used temporarily to shore up Detroit's budget. | ||
Psewick Member Username: Psewick Post Number: 33 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 70.235.110.46 |
Southwestmap, From what source are your neighbors currently expecting a grant? I imagine there have got to be other grant programs other than the one through the city's Planning and Development Department. I would suggest searching elsewhere unless there is no alternative. Going through the city has caused a great amount of trouble for me, the woman I'm buying my house from, and my poor mortgage guy (although I shouldn't complain about getting free money--if it does ever actually materialize). There must be private organizations who could help buy a new roof for your neighbors. | ||
Southwestmap Member Username: Southwestmap Post Number: 517 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 70.229.231.102 |
They believe that Councilwoman Joann Watson will get one for them, as they always show up when she calls needing warm bodies for an announcement, rally, etc. So, I think the source would be block grants that they hope she can put them on the top of the list for. | ||
Bvos Member Username: Bvos Post Number: 1665 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 75.10.21.159 |
The source is Block Grant (CDBG) funding. The process probably lasts about a year from application to construction being finished. It's a bit of a drag, but it's free money. Joann Watson would be a good champion for the family, but they'll still have to go through the proper channels. Her office would probably be a good source to help the family complete the application. Seriously, give Marty at Bagley a call. She'll know far more about the program than anyone on Watson's staff. | ||
Rasputin Member Username: Rasputin Post Number: 3738 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.74.31.233 |
Agreed, Bvos ..... however, the dollars are in short supply now and applications are back-logged. Applications can be obtained (with assistance to fill them out) at any Neighborhood City Hall. Go figure ..... Black-atcha ..... |
