Lucerne County will offer home restoration grants to income-eligible property owners.

Income-eligible homeowners in Lucerne County will soon be able to receive grants to preserve their aging homes, said County Community Development Director Andrew Reilly.

Reilly stressed that he will release a public announcement about the eligibility requirements and the application process when all the details are agreed. Interested property owners should wait for this announcement, which will be published in the media and on the county’s website, luzernecounty.org.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration is expected to formally announce the Whole Home Renovation Program and statewide distribution of funds in the near future.

However, Lucerne County’s receipt of at least $3.24 million for the program is already public knowledge, as the county council voted last week for the first phase of a budget amendment to take into account expected funds from the state’s Department of Social and Economic Development.

The Board submitted a budget amendment last week and is due to hold a mandatory public hearing and final vote at its next scheduled meeting on March 14.

Reilly said his office will oversee the county’s program but will enter into a sub-recipient agreement with the Economic Opportunity Commission to manage it.

This program, covered by part of the federal proceeds of the American State Rescue Plan, will provide homeowners with the means to address habitability and safety concerns, improve energy or water efficiency, and make housing accessible to people with disabilities.

The state has indicated that a single grant cannot exceed $50,000, although the county’s program is likely to set a lower limit to provide funds to more eligible property owners.

Reilly expects demand to exceed available funding.

“The level of inquiries I’ve received already tells me there’s a huge amount of interest in this program,” Reilly said.

Most of the calls and emails he has received are related to an online posting about an upcoming program that lists Reilly and colleagues in other counties who will be coordinating it. Reilly said he has informed those who apply that there is no way to apply until the details are finalized and announced.

To be eligible, the state stated that a household’s income cannot exceed 80% of the median income in the area.

Reilly said he should wait for state guidance before announcing any specific income thresholds because it is still unclear whether the formula will be the same for all households or based on family size. The state scheduled conference call briefings with participating counties later this month, he said.

When the council agreed in January to request public funding to renovate the entire home, the agenda stated that the program “represents the largest housing investment the Pennsylvania legislature has made in recent history.”

According to him, one in four Pennsylvanians lives in a house that needs major repairs.

If the district receives more eligible candidates than it can fund, the waiting list could be kept in place in case additional funds are made available, Reilly said. However, he warned that this program is not permanent and permanent. As part of the US bailout program, the federal government has set deadlines for disbursing funds.

emergency repair

Regardless of this upcoming special program, Reilly reiterated that his office always offers a home disaster recovery program for income-eligible homeowners to make urgent repairs.

Not intended for a more general home recovery, this program funds specific building problems that pose “unexpected and immediate danger to the health and well-being of occupants.”

Examples of emergencies include a broken heater in the middle of winter, lack of water, hazardous electrical conditions, a leaking roof, hazardous use of lead-based paint, accessibility issues, or other factors identified by an inspector, Reilly said.

The Economic Opportunity Commission, or CEO, also administers this program on behalf of the district. Dollar repair bonds are placed on participating homes for five years, with 20% of the loan forgiven annually until the debt is repaid.

Applicants must own and occupy housing, and have a family income of 80% or less than the median income in the area, in accordance with federal regulations. Property owners cannot have past due property taxes unless they participate in an approved payment plan with the county tax office. Property in flood zones requires flood insurance.

This program does not cover buildings in four of the county’s cities — Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston and Nanticock — because the cities are eligible for their own funding, the office said in a statement.

For more information about the emergency repair program, please contact the Reilly office at 570-824-7214 or visit the office page on luzernecounty.org.

Contact Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or tweet @TLJenLearnAndes.