Grants of up to $50,000 will be offered through the Program to
income eligible homeowners in the County of Dauphin. Grant funds
must be used to bring the property up to standards that would correct
any existing deficiencies or hazards, make it a decent, safe and
sanitary place to live, improve energy efficiency, or improve
accessibility. Grant funds cannot be used as a
reimbursement for repairs already made or to pay off a debt incurred
to finance previous repairs.
The purpose of this Informational Statement is to explain the Program
and eligibility requirements for participation.
DEFINITIONS:
“Accessibility” – Home modifications should be
designed to meet the needs of the person with the physical disability
who will be residing in the home. Eligible modification items may
include, but are not limited to the following: bathroom modifications,
installation of grab bars and handrails, kitchen modifications, lifting
devices, main level bathroom or bedroom addition, ramp addition or
repair, sidewalk addition or repair, widening doorways or hallways, as
defined by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s Access Home
Modification Program.
“Code” – The term includes the following:
-
All applicable state and local building, housing, property
maintenance, fire, health or other public safety ordinances, laws or
codes related to the use or maintenance of real property. The term
does not include a subdivision and land development or a zoning
ordinance enacted by a municipality.
-
All applicable state and local tax laws; ordinances and resolutions.
“Disabilities” – As the term “handicap or
disability” is defined in section 4 of the act of October 27, 1955
(P.L. 744, No. 222), known as the Pennsylvania Human Relations
Act.
“Existing home repair programs” – Programs
administered by such entities that provide services to repair
residential housing and to make home modifications for accessibility
that are funded in accordance with or through, but not exclusively
limited to the following programs:
-
The weatherization assistance programs administered as a part of the
programs authorized under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of
1981 (Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. §8621 et seq.) or the Energy
Conservation in Existing Buildings Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-385, 42
U.S.C. §6851 et seq.).
-
The Community Development Block Grant Program under Title I of the
Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-383,
Stat. 633), as amended.
-
The HOME program under the act of December 18, 1992 (P.L. 1376, No.
172), known as the Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Act.
- The Medical Assistance Community Health Choices Program.
-
The Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement
Program under Article IVD of the act of December 3, 1959 (P.L. 1688,
No. 621), known as the Housing Finance Agency Law.
- The Keystone Communities Program administered by DCED.
-
Low-Income usage reduction programs established under 52 Pa. Code Ch.
58 (relating to residential low-income usage reduction
programs).
-
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program established under 66
Pa.C.S. §2806.1(b)(1)(i)(G) (relating to energy efficiency and
conservation program).
“Habitability concerns” – Home repairs that are
required to ensure residential units are any of the following:
- Fit for human habitation.
-
Free from defective conditions or health and safety hazards, including
asbestos, mold or lead.
-
Free of conditions preventing installation of measures to improve
energy or water efficiency and lower utility costs.
“Homeowner” – A person who is any of the
following:
- An owner of record evidenced by a publicly recorded deed.
-
An owner-occupant of a manufactured home who leases a space in a
manufactured home community.
“Serious violation” – A code violation that poses
an imminent threat to the health and safety of a dwelling occupant,
occupants in surrounding structures or passersby.
“Substantial step” – An affirmative action as
determined by a property code official or officer of the court on the
part of a small landlord or property managing agency to remedy a
serious code violation, including physical improvements or repairs to
the property, which affirmative action is subject to appeal in
accordance with applicable law.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
1. Participants must live within the County of Dauphin.
2. Participants must be the Homeowner and occupy the house to be
rehabilitated. An "owner" will include a person who is purchasing
a house under a conventional mortgage backed loan or a sales agreement.
3. Participants' total family income must be within the 80% AMI income
limit. See Income Limit Schedule)
4. If property to be rehabilitated is located within a 100 year flood
plain, Participant must provide evidence of a current flood insurance
policy.
5. Participant must have adequate, current fire insurance on the
structure to be rehabilitated and maintain such insurance at least for
the initial five-year period after rehabilitation.
6. Before any rehabilitation grant is awarded, all back taxes on the
property to be rehabilitated must be paid in full and all municipal
utilities must be paid up to date.
7.An owner-occupant of a manufactured home who leases a space in a
manufactured home community.
8. Participant cannot have outstanding codes violations that have been
left unaddressed unless said violation(s) will be addressed through the
Program grant.
GRANT CONDITIONS
As a condition of receiving a Program grant, the Participant must agree,
that a lien be placed on the property, for a period of five (5) years
following the date of completion of the rehabilitation work (the "Lien
Period") such that DCRDA is reimbursed for the grant in the event:
-
If the property is sold or if the Participant is unable for any reason
to occupy the rehabilitated house as his/her principal residence
during the Lien Period;
-
In the case of the transfer of the title of the property due to an
inheritance, if the Participants’ heirs then sell the property
during the Lien Period ;
-
In the event of foreclosure during the Lien Period, DCRDA will accept
the net proceeds of the sale as complete satisfaction of these
repayment terms.
During the Lien Period, the lien amount shall reduce annually according
to the following schedule:
| Year of Lien Period |
Percentage of Grant Amount Secured
|
| 1 |
100% |
| 2 |
80% |
| 3 |
60% |
| 4 |
40% |
| 5 |
20% |
Upon the expiration of the Lien Period, the lien will automatically
terminate.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
In order to be an eligible repair, a condition must be considered
affecting health, safety, accessibility, energy or water efficiency,
accessibility and/or code violation. For this Program, the PADCED
Minimum Housing Rehabilitation Standards, the Secretary of the
Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for
Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, the Federal Uniform Accessibility
Standards, will be utilized as the guides for this housing
rehabilitation program.
DCRDA will follow Dauphin County’s lead-based paint policies and
procedures to determine the appropriate scope and method of remediation
on a project-by-project basis.
INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES
Program grants may not be used to pay for luxury or purely cosmetic
items such as burglar alarms or systems, exterior fireplaces or hearths,
greenhouses, saunas or hot tubs, pools, tennis courts or other
recreational facilities, and television antennae or landscaping.
PROGRAM PROCEDURES
Those homeowners who desire to participate in this program and who
appear to be eligible according to the requirements presented in this
informational statement must complete an Application and send it to
DCRDA at the address provided above.
PRIORITIZATION OF APPLICATIONS
After all applications are received, they will be reviewed to determine
whether there are any applicants who are ineligible based on the
information provided on the application.
All applications will be addressed as a first-come first-served
basis. Applicants will be given a number and placed on a list
consecutively.
INITIAL INSPECTION
Once all applications have been prioritized, based on date of receipt,
the applicants will be contacted to schedule an initial inspection.
GRANT PROCESSING
Upon satisfactory verification of applicant’s eligibility
including verification of the applicant’s income, ownership,
residency, payment of taxes and insurance, a DCRDA representative will
perform an initial inspection of the property proposed for
rehabilitation. In addition, if you home was constructed prior to 1978 a lead-based paint risk assessment will be performed. An additional inspection will be requested to look for any code deficiencies. These inspections will
then be used to prepare the work write-up specifying the rehabilitation
work to be done and a cost estimate will also be prepared. This
cost estimate is used to determine whether the $50,000. maximum grant
amount will be sufficient to pay for the proposed improvements.
Also, a formal application is completed by the homeowner, a grant is
formally awarded, and the homeowner reviews and approves the final
specifications.
ESTIMATES EXCEEDING $50,000
If the cost estimate of the work needed to bring the dwelling into
compliance as required by the applicable housing standards exceed the
$50,000 grant amount, the Participant will be required to provide the
additional funds necessary to bring the property up to the applicable
standards. If the Participant is unable to provide the additional
funds necessary to complete the work, the grant will not be awarded. In
that event, the next applicant on the list will be considered.
Please note that the $50,000 grant budget includes soft costs like
permitting, inspection fees, and project management assistance.
CONTRACTOR SELECTION
DCRDA will secure a standing general contract or (the
“Contractor”) which will manage the construction items for
all projects under the Program. The Contractor will secure
sub-contractors as necessary to perform certain aspects of the work.
DCRDA will prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) to utilize a
standing qualified contractor that performs rehabilitation activities at
all homes. Only sealed bids will be accepted. Proposals will be publicly opened
at the place and time referenced in the bid documents. Once Proposals are reviewed, the contract will be awarded to the lowest responsible
bidder.
The contract for repairs will be between the Participant and the
Contractor. None of the DCRDA, County of Dauphin nor the PADCED
will be a party to this contract. In this respect, the Participant
bears the primary responsibility of assuring that the contract work is
performed in a satisfactory manner.
After the Contractor commences the work, the DCRDA inspector will make
periodic inspections of the work in progress. These inspections
ensure that the work is being done according to the specifications and
other contractual requirements.
PAYMENTS
The payment to the Contractor is made by DCRDA after a satisfactory
inspection at the completion of the job.
CONTRACTORS’ REQUIREMENTS
To ensure the participation of professional, qualified contractors, the
DCRDA requires that all contractors, the Contractor and its
subcontractors, meet certain eligibility requirements. These
requirements include the carrying of liability and contractual insurance
to protect the homeowner in the event of bodily injury or property
damage. All contractors whose work entails the disturbance of
painted surfaces will be required to have undergone an accepted
lead-based paint training program for themselves and their
workers. They will be required to have the ability to undertake
such rehabilitation work in conjunction with accepted lead-based paint
safe work practices. In addition, all participating contractors
must carry Workmen's Compensation Insurance.
LEAD-BASED PAINT REQUIREMENTS
All rehabilitation work on houses built before 1978 will be undertaken
with the assumption of the existence of lead-based paint. A
third-party inspection/clearance will be undertaken before the work is
bid to identify lead paint hazards that my need to be addressed.
All deteriorated paint surfaces will need to be stabilized using interim
controls in conjunction with lead-based paint safe work practices.
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