For More Information:
William R. Steinhaus
Dutchess County Executive
(845) 486-2000
countyexec@co.dutchess.ny.us
Anne Saylor, Housing Coordinator
Dutchess County Planning and Development
(845) 486-3600
cdhousing@co.dutchess.ny.us
For Immediate Release
March 19, 1999
Funds Available for Seniors to Rehabilitate Homes
Poughkeepsie - The County of Dutchess-has funds available to help senior citizens complete minor to moderate rehabilitation on their homes. Funding for this program is from the Dutchess County Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG). The program is a revolving loan fund program which currently has available $145,000 to distribute on an on-going basis to eligible applicants.
The program provides zero percent loans and deferred payment loans, up to $15,000, to income eligible, senior citizens. Loans are repaid through monthly payment while deferred payment loans have no monthly payment and are forgiven if the homeowner remains in the property for 10 years. The type of assistance to be provided is determined by Planning Department staff based on guidelines which assess the percentage of income a household spends on its housing expenses.
Eligible repairs include minor to moderate rehabilitation necessary to alleviate building code violations. The focus of the program is repairs to "major systems" such as "roofs, furnaces, decks/porches, structural problems, septic, handicapped accessibility, electrical, and plumbing. Properties with necessary repairs that substantially exceed $15,000 will not be eligible for assistance.
Eligible applicants
must be 62 year of age or over and their household income must be below the following
maximums:
| Family Size | Income Limits |
| 1 | $32,750 |
| 2 | $37,450 |
Applicants must own the property to be rehabilitated and it must be their principal residence. Eligible properties may be located in any Dutchess county municipality except the City of Poughkeepsie and the Town of LaGrange which are not members of the CDBG Program.
Guidelines and applications are available by contacting Anne Saylor,
Housing Coordinator, at the Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development, 27
High Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 at (845) 486-3600.
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