Town of Needham Announces Funding for Small Repair Grant Program for Homeowners
Grants of up to $5K available to make home improvements, modifications
NEEDHAM – Wednesday, June 2, 2021 -- The Town of Needham announced today that a new round of funding is available for qualifying seniors and those with disabilities to make health and safety improvements to their homes.
Grants of up to $5,000 per applicant are available. Grants are reviewed and awarded twice per year. Completed applications for this funding round must be received by June 30, 2021 with funding awarded by July 31, 2021. The next anticipated funding round application deadline is November 1, 2021.
Grant funding can cover a wide variety of home repairs and modifications including: Small Jobs and/or Contractor Work: Plumbing, carpentry, window repairs, gutters or downspouts, door repair or replacement, step or porch repair, lock repair or replacement, cement work or masonry repair, tiling, plaster patching, sheet-rock repair, smoke/CO2 detectors, weather stripping, electrical, heating, interior painting, floors, installation, masonry, siding, roofing, and the like.
Adaptations: Bathroom grab bars, raised toilets or toilet seats, hand-held shower heads, tub transfer bench, tub seats/rails, bed transfer bars, railings throughout the house, change door knobs to levers, hookup bells to light switches, hook-up flashing light to phone, install various phone volume control devices, intercom entryway buzzer system, light switch height, etc.
The limit for this program is $5,000 per household, an increase of $1,000 from previous grant funding rounds. Applications will be evaluated and prioritized based on program funding, health and safety considerations, and the financial need of the applicant. These grants are provided on an unsecured basis; there is no repayment required unless the grant recipient does not comply with program terms or transfers the home within one year.
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
1. The property is in Needham, is owned and is the primary residence of the applicant, and the applicant intends to live in the home for the next 12 months.
2. At least one household member is age 60 or older or is disabled.
3. Household income is not higher than 80% of Boston Area Median Income limits. As of April 2021, 80% of Boston Area Median Income figures were: Household of 1: $70,750, Household of 2: $80,850, Household of 3: $90,950, Household of 4: $101,050, etc.
4. The property assessment is below the Town of Needham’s average assessed valued for a single-family home which is currently $996,844.
5. The applicant agrees to sign a grant agreement and to notify the Town through its Affordable Housing Trust prior to selling or listing the home for sale within the 12 months following payment under this program.
Applications are due by June 30, 2021. To obtain an application and a confidential assessment, contact Needham’s Affordable Housing Trust at 781-455-7550 ext. 220 or ksunnarborg@needhamma.gov.
Information is also available on the Town’s Housing webpage.