USDA LogoMEDIA RELEASE

            United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development

            301 Yakima Street, Room 317, Wenatchee, WA 98801-2998

             Contact: Trini Mayo (509) 664-0210, Ext. 4 or Trini.Mayo@wa.usda.gov

November 4, 2002

HOME REPAIR FUNDS AVAILABLE THROUGH USDA

            USDA Rural Development has loan funds available for home repairs for very low-income rural homeowners. Grants are available for senior citizens age 62 or older who do not show repayment ability for a loan.

           

Funds may be used for home repairs in rural areas for eligible homeowners with incomes under 50 percent of the median family income for that county. Eligible rural areas are defined as having a population under 10,000 or up to 20,000 population in non-metropolitan areas. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents legally admitted to the U.S. The funds may only be used for owner-occupied housing that is modest in value.

The maximum home repair loan amount is $20,000 with an interest rate of one percent, with up to 20 years to repay. Section 504 grants up to $7,500 are available to remove health or safety hazards for senior citizen homeowners, 62 years or older, who are unable to finance their repairs. Income limits are as follows:

INCOME LIMITS FAMILY SIZE --1-- --2-- --3-- --4--

CHELAN COUNTY 14500 16550 18650 20700

DOUGLAS COUNTY 16000 18300 20550 22850

GRANT COUNTY 14050 16100 18100 20100

OKANOGAN COUNTY 14050 16100 18100 20100

The 504 Program impacts those of greatest need. In Soap Lake, an 84-year-old woman is delighted to have new exterior doors and windows as well as newly remodeled bathroom to accommodate handicap accessibility. In Tonasket, a 78 year old Native American woman is grateful to have received a grant to install a new exterior door, new electric heaters, and a new metal roof on her dwelling, which will keep her warm this winter. And in Twisp, an elderly couple was able to have their manufactured home placed on a permanent foundation and have their old single pane windows replaced with new double pane windows with funds from the program. None of these recipients had adequate resources to pay for these much needed repairs.

USDA Rural Development serves as the lead federal entity for rural development needs and administers financial and technical assistance through three agencies: Rural Housing Service, Rural Business-Cooperative Service and Rural Utilities Service. Further information on USDA Rural Development’s 504 Housing Repair Program can be obtained by contacting the USDA Service Center in Wenatchee at 509-664-0210, Ext. 4, or by visiting the Washington State Rural Development web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/wa. ###

USDA Rural Development is an Equal Opportunity Lender, Provider, and Employer

Complaints of discrimination should be sent to:

USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Washington D.C. 20250 -9410