Lycoming County Announces $1.1M In Home Repair Grants

Over $1.1 million is earmarked for Lycoming County homeowners who need assistance in dealing with safety and habitability issues in their residences. This financial help will arrive later in the year as part of an agreement approved by county commissioners last week.

The agreement, dubbed the Whole Home Repairs Grant Program Agreement, involves the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and entails a sum of $1,103,133. The funding comes from allocations under the COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and should be fully utilized by the end of 2026.

“The program’s objective is to aid homeowners in making repairs that enhance the habitability of their homes. This includes weatherization, structural modifications, and similar activities which are integral to the program’s focus on energy efficiency,” explained Rachelle Abbott, chief operations and planning officer at STEP Inc.

Alongside home repairs, the program also incorporates a workforce development element. “We’re hoping to collaborate with the Clean Energy Center at Penn College to provide workforce development training in housing construction,” added Abbott. This part of the program is still in its infancy, but the potential partnership has already generated excitement.

Eligibility for the program requires individuals to own their homes. STEP will conduct assessments to identify needs centered around health, safety, habitability, and weatherization. The development of a detailed work plan will follow, with each homeowner and household eligible for a maximum of $50,000. Abbott noted that this doesn’t mean every household will receive that amount.

Lycoming County will primarily concentrate on the homeowner aspect of the program, which represents the grant facet, and will not focus on the landlord component. “While other counties offer both loans and grants, Lycoming County has decided to provide grants exclusively to homeowners,” stated Jenny Picciano, community/lead planner with the county’s Department of Planning and community development.

The grant money will not be transferred directly to homeowners. Instead, the county will enlist the services of private contractors to execute the necessary work and repairs on behalf of the homeowners.

“We already have a Lycoming County unmet needs list comprising individuals in need of home support. This list will be the initial target for application distribution,” Abbott explained. She further stated that there would be an eligibility evaluation based on income and an audit of the homes to ascertain what’s required.

The general income guidelines stipulate that individuals should earn less than 300% of the area’s median income. Homeowners could range from senior citizens to families; the only crucial requirement is property ownership.

The process is still taking shape. Having signed the contract with DCED, the county is now awaiting the returned signed contract. Abbott added, “An agreement between STEP and the county needs to be developed, followed by an RFP (Request for Proposals) process from the county.”

The commencement of the repair work, which will be handled by general contractors, is slated for late summer.

Picciano noted that this is a new initiative for the county, necessitating the establishment of fresh program protocols and the recruitment of contractors to carry out the construction.

Interestingly, this program is also a novelty at the state level. “According to our understanding, the DCED intends to make this program a permanent fixture,” revealed Picciano. Although the inaugural year is funded through ARPA funds, the DCED hopes to leverage other funding sources to sustain the program in subsequent years.