Hurricane Katrina Grants Going To The Wealthy But Not To The Poor!

According to some advocates, the effort to help Huricane Katrina victims with government grants seems to have benefited more affluent people than those who are low-incomed.

According to one organization, "The recovery is really the tale of two recoveries. For people who were well off before the storm, they are more likely to be back in their homes, back in their jobs and to have access to good health care. For those who were poor or struggling to get by before the storm, the opposite is true."

Louisiana's program to distribute grants to property owners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Katrina was found by a federal judge this month to discriminate against black homeowners!

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, state officials refused to offer rebuilding grants to property owners who suffered wind damage, explaining that the property owners should have carried private insurance. That rule hit low-income and black homeowners particularly hard, advocates say, because many of them were uninsured, often because they owned property that was passed down through the generations.

The $143 billion federally funded effort, one of the largest reconstruction projects in the country's history, fortified vulnerable levees, rebuilt hundreds of public buildings, reconstructed miles of roads and bridges and provided tens of thousands of residents with money to help piece together their shattered lives.

But there is a sharp disparity in how residents view the pace of recovery. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that while seven in 10 New Orleans residents say the rebuilding process is "going in the right direction," a third say their lives are still disrupted by the storm.

African Americans are more than twice as likely as whites to say they have not yet recovered after Katrina, the survey found. And blacks in the city are 2 & 1/2 times more likely to be low-income than whites.

One disabled Vietnam veteran has said, "I just knew we had a rotten deal". He and his wife have been struggling to rebuild their duplex in New Orleans East. The storm propelled them on a years-long odyssey through Port Arthur, Tex., Houston and Arkansas. They did not return to their still-damaged home until 2008! Their home was valued at just $135,000, although repair costs were estimated by the state to be $308,000. They were awarded a grant of just $16,649 to supplement just over $100,000 they received in insurance payments.

The federally funded grant program offered homeowners grants of up to $150,000. But homeowners could not collect more than the pre-storm value of their homes, regardless of the cost of repairs.

A federal judge ruled that the program's formula for calculating grants discriminates against black homeowners, who tend to live in neighborhoods with lower home values.

A spokesperson for the grant program has said that they have already appealed the judge's decision and added that the grant program has modified the program to pay out an additional $2 billion to more than 45,000 low-income homeowners. So far the government grant program has paid $8.6 billion to more than 127,000 homeowners.

While the waterfront casinos are providing a large chunk of state revenue, the vast majority of residents are back in their rebuilt homes, although thousands are still struggling to find affordable housing as their recovery checks did not cover the cost of the damage.

Despite the improvements, many gaps remain.

In Mississippi, where Katrina severely damaged more than 101,000 housing units, many residents face what advocates call a similar inequity. Praised in the aftermath of Katrina for his can-do attitude, Gov. Haley Barbour received a series of waivers from the Bush administration that largely freed Mississippi from the requirement to spend at least half of his state's $5.5 billion in federal block grant money on low- and moderate-income residents. Barbour successfully argued that the waivers were necessary to give the state flexibility to deal effectively with the widespread devastation. That allowed the state to divert close to $1 billion to help devastated utilities rebuild, to subsidize residents' insurance premiums and the port and other economic development projects. Meanwhile, advocates say that more than 5,000 low-income Mississippi families have yet to settle in permanent housing since the storm. Advocates have said that more than $3 billion distributed by the state's housing recovery program went disproportionately to more affluent residents. The plan paid up to $150,000 to homeowners whose properties were damaged by the unprecedented storm surge spawned by Katrina, but nothing to those whose homes suffered wind damage.

To be eligible for the initial grants, families had to have homeowners insurance, although the state later devised a program that paid grants of up to $100,000 to low-income, uninsured homeowners whose properties were damaged by the storm surge.
The rationale, state officials said, was that responsible homeowners had no way to know that they should have flood insurance in areas that federal experts deemed to be outside of the flood plain.

source

Cleveland.com

Grants help residents become homeowners!

Residents are benefiting from a federal program to help save neighborhoods -- and make home ownership a reality for many for the first time!

Though time is running out for these areas to spend millions of federal stimulus dollars buying and renovating abandoned and foreclosed homes in neighborhoods hard-hit by the foreclosure crisis.

Some cities are buying foreclosed properties and fixing them up to sell or rent.

Others are providing grants to low- and moderate-income home buyers to use for down payments and repairs on foreclosed homes they purchase.

Either way, the ultimate goal is the same: to save neighborhoods from a glut of neglected, foreclosed homes, condos and town houses; put more property tax dollars in government coffers; and make home ownership a reality for people who may be buying for the first time.

About five months remain for the county and cities to dole out their shares of federal aid from a program which is an offshoot of a previous government grant program.

The federal government gave U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development money to help communities deal with the rising number of foreclosed vacant properties.
The money trickled down to states, counties and cities. Any money not committed by the end of August goes back into federal coffers unless Congress extends the program! That spend it or lose it aspect has local housing officials scrambling to wrap up everything on time.

"We're on a short time frame but our goal is still to help as many people as we can and spend all of the money we were given," said a spokesperson for the program. So far the agency has assisted in the purchase of at least 61 properties with another 26 under contract waiting to close.

With foreclosure rates among the nation's highest, the need to turn around blighted neighborhoods is crucial, officials have said. Nationally, the federal government set aside about $4 billion for this free government grant program, but only a third of the 300 local governments that received grants have made a dent in them, according to HUD.

Part of the problem has been that investors with fistfuls of cash scoop up foreclosed properties before buyers in the program have a chance to get them.
Earlier this month, HUD eased the program's rules to allow homes in mortgage default and uninhabitable homes with lingering code violations to be purchased instead of having to wait for the foreclosure to go through, which can take months.

To qualify for this financial assistance program, the home, condo, town house or villa must be in the target area designated by that city; it must be a foreclosed property or one in the process of foreclosure; and a buyer must attend a home-buyer counseling course paid for by the program before purchasing a home.

In addition, buyers can earn no more than 120 % of the specific areas' annual median income to be considered for a financial grant.

Some properties will be reserved for families earning as little as $38,250 and individuals making $26,800.

The down payment and repair assistance comes in the form of a forgivable no-interest loan that doesn't have to be paid back as long as the buyer lives in the house for a certain number of years, which varies by city. The range is typically between five and 15 years. Cities vary in the amount of money they offer for down payments and repairs. Some cities set a maximum purchase price for a home to be eligible for a grant, say at $250,000, but other cities don't have that limit.

For one lucky recipient buying a town house would have been impossible without a big boost from the city. The 45-year-old mother and her teenage daughter moved into a town house in September. The city gave her $25,000 for a down payment to buy the foreclosed property, which sold for its listing price of $94,900. The single mother
figures she is saving $400 a month by owning instead of renting. She said the program is a lifesaver! "There's no way I could have put the traditional 10 percent down and qualified to own this place on my own," she said.

She is also hoping to receive grant money for renovations. Before she moved in, she had to buy appliances, light fixtures, an air-conditioning compressor and paint.

Recently, one area increased the amount of their purchase assistance and expanded its target area to cover almost the entire city. Low-income households can now qualify for a maximum of $50,000 for a down payment and repairs, double the previous amount of $25,000, which is available to moderate and middle-income households.

Among the biggest challenges for low- to moderate-income buyers in the government program is increasing competition from private investors.

Says another prospective buyer, "We could never afford to buy a house now without this help. The married couple now rents a small apartment and considers now a great time to buy because prices are down, the market is still flooded with homes for sale and interest rates are still low but nudging higher.

Getting a federal tax credit is another incentive for buyers in the program. First-time buyers can get a tax credit of up to $8,000, and existing homeowners up to $6,500.

There is also another program that has $2.3 million to spend on purchase assistance and repairs!

Any Grant Programs To Help The Elderly / Disabled With Home Repair?

"Are There Any Grant Programs To Help The Elderly / Disabled With Home Repair?"

Here is an excerpt from one of my previous blog posts:

There is a national program for the elderly, blind and/or disabled to help assist eligible, payment-troubled customers who are at least 62 years of age, blind or disabled. Program features include a lower monthly gas rate, debt forgiveness, emergency heating equipment repair or replacement, and conservation measures depending upon individual circumstances.

For more information about this program you can visit their website

You have to understand that there are grant programs available for the elderly to help with home repairs - you just have to know where to look for the information!

Do You Have An Emergency Financial Need?

Are you facing a financial emergency?

There is one organization that has helped more than 80 individuals/families in need of financial assistance. In 2009 one of the organization's funding programs - which provide emergency funding assistance has given out nearly 300 percent more in assistance than it did in all of 2008.

The purpose of this grant program is to help individuals and families who have chronic financial challenges.

People who qualify for assistance from this fund include those who have lost their jobs, have been out of work for months and months and have exhausted all their savings and resources. According to a spokesperson, "If they fit the criteria, they are able to access this fund for months at a time.”

This grant program was created as a way to help people who don’t qualify for one of the organization's other grant programs.

This funding program has been around for the last 20 years!

The grant program only makes one-time, emergency disbursements. Last year, 32 individuals or families received financial assistance through this funding program. So far over 75 individuals and/or families have received $75,000 in 2009!

This funding program is good for people who tend to struggle with something every year.

Since some of these funding programs are both relatively new, not many people know about them!

What's more the organization itself receives grant money itself to help fund their own grant programs!

One of the organizations funding programs is intended to help with large, one-time emergencies. It was established in a few years ago through the generosity of an anonymous donor. Grants have helped a couple with funeral expenses. Another time it helped a man repair his home after a fire. He had let his home owner’s insurance lapse.

The first step in obtaining assistance is leaving a message on the organization's helpline. The message will usually be returned by a caseworker within 24 hours. A spokesperson for the funding program said the initial phone call between the organization and the applicant takes between five and 10 minutes. Once the exact problem has been determined, the applicant is matched with a social worker, who meets with the client to make a fuller assessment of the situation. Thereafter, the social worker presents the case to the case-management team to decide whether the applicant qualifies for funds. Each application is evaluated on an individual basis. There are clear guidelines, but no set formula to receive assistance.

“If somebody needs financial assistance then we make sure they are taking advantage of other government programs. We have a whole checklist of programs to make sure that they are taking advantage of all the things they can” says the program's spokesperson. Applicants who need emergency funds may also qualify for other programs that the organization has to offer.

It is recommended that applicants apply as early as possible because the number of people seeking assistance has increased so much over the past year and because of that it can now take several weeks to actually receive assistance.

In 2008, 40 people, on average, called the organization for assistance each month. Last year more than 200 people called for help. While not all of these phone calls are for emergency needs, this shows that there has been a marked increase in the need for all of our services, including emergency financial assistanceemergency assistance.

According to the program's spokesperson, “If somebody comes to us and says ‘I’m being evicted tomorrow it’s very hard to help. If someone comes in and says ‘I’m being evicted in three weeks,’ we can help”.

A Children's Foundation is accepting grant applications for families who have children with critical health care treatment, services, or equipment not covered or not fully covered by their parents' health benefit plans. There is NO deadline date to apply for this program. To get an application for this program, just click here. This same organization is also accepting grant applications for families who need help paying for their child’s health care services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy sessions, prescriptions, and medical equipment such as wheel chairs, orthotics, and eyeglasses.

Here is a reply to a post from someone who was asking about grant programs to help start a business.

As a person that does grant research for a living I can tell you that the sites that you are talking about are "third-party" sites where you are paying them for the work that they did to find the information. There is nothing wrong with that BUT if you have your doubts about them then just do a check of them and their business - especially with the BBB to see if there are any complaints about them.

If you are a minority then there are grant programs that are available to help you start a business of your own. One grant program in particular offers a $20,000 grant award to successful applicants who want to start a business of their own. In order to apply you are going to have to submit a business plan to show that you are serious about what it is that you want to do.

Also I have seen grant programs that quite are amazing! One rich individual is offering to fund a person who wants to start a business of their own but their business idea must be viable!

I should also tell you that 90% of the information that I have found about grant programs has been online which means that a lot of these programs have websites. If you go directly to the grant program's website then you don't have to pay a thing because you have found the information yourself and didn't have to hire a grant writer to find the information for you.

Artists Are Using Their Grant Money To Pay For Various Things! I mentioned before about the interest in finding grant programs to help pay off credit card bills and I have mentioned that while I haven't specifically found any grant programs that help pay credit card debt, I have found grant programs where you can use the grant money to pay for whatever you want and here is such an example of that kind of grant program: Recipients of one particular artists grants have gotten creative with how they are spending their grant money! The nonprofit organization will be giving its annual unrestrictive grants to artists in many different disciplines. Usually the winners of these artist grants use their grant money for their work. But since there are no strings are attached to these $50,000 grant awards some artists use part of their newfound wealth to travel, pay off their mortgage, buy life insurance, get new glasses or have their teeth fixed. Others become philanthropists, pitching in on colleagues' projects. Here is what one past grant recipient has said regarding this grant program for artists. "That's the beauty of the grants", says the artist, a maker of massive, abstract collages who was tapped in the first round, in 2006, and has become actively engaged as a board member. "When you get the call, you think, 'Wow, somebody is going to give me money to continue to do what I do. They are not going to ask me to do anything. They are just going to invest in it.' That level of trust, he says, is a validation of past accomplishments and a vote of confidence in the artist's future." The nonprofit organization chooses over 25 annually from the fields of architecture and design, crafts and traditional arts, dance, literature, media, music, theater and visual arts. Grant awards presented this year will total $10 million and will have been given to 213 individuals, partnerships and collectives who live and work all across the country! Applicants must be at least 21 years old and citizens or legal residents of the U.S. About 400 nominees are invited to apply for the grants. Past grant recipients include: architect novelist singer/songwriter filmmaker ceramist dancer puppeteer photographer However this grant program for artists is far from the only organization to put large amounts of money in artists' hands! There is a museum that has its own $50,000 program and a foundation just announced its $100,000 grant program for artists! But many programs offering large cash awards fund specific projects or honor one artist every year or two. With a mission of "supporting America's finest artists working across diverse disciplines" and a practice of doling out 50 unrestricted grants annually, this grant program has created an unusually broad niche for itself. This grant program was started as a response to the demise of a nationally known grant program for artists. Concerned that artists would be forced to leave the field, leaders of several institutions approached large foundations with a message about the need to help artists. Despite the commercial success of many artists a study determined that significant numbers of their peers needed employment, health insurance, places to live and work, materials and equipment and access to professional development and support systems. For more information about this grant program, just click here.

Grant Programs For Diabetics!

The Federal Government has billions of dollars in free aid and assistance available for diabetics and diabetic small businesses. Many of these grants, loans and other sources of aid are seldom awarded because eligible diabetics and diabetic businesses do not know about them, do not have internet access or knowledge of existing programs.

For diabetics who are handicapped, sixty-two to sixty-five or older, the program offers assistance with necessary home repairs, for example, replacement of leaky roofs, porch repairs, plumbing and building of modern indoor restroom facilities. Repairs that are essential and necessary for daily existence.

The director of one organization has said, "there are billions of dollars in assistance and grants earmarked for people previously identified as credit risks. Public and private funds are now available for them to repair homes, start a business, consolidate debts and any worthwhile purpose." In addition, he reported how new financial resources have been committed to help diabetics get job training and re-enter the job market.

"Now is the time for diabetics to act if they need money for any worthwhile purpose," urged the director. He also revealed that several reduced-cost and free programs now exist to help diabetics and the economically disadvantaged who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Such programs include energy assistance, free prescriptions, home repair and legal aid.

One organization offers the program that provides the latest information on assistance for diabetics. It covers job training, financial assistance, phone bill assistance, diabetic recipes, free grants, scholarship and loan resources available for a wide variety of purposes, including business start-ups for diabetics. The kit also includes a list of more than fifteen hundred professionals offering diabetics free advice and business guidance.

For additional information you can visit the organization's website. They also can be contacted by phone and via a regular mailing address.

The organization also offers a free diabetics watch and a free glucose meter to qualified beneficiaries with diabetes. Combined offers are available while supplies last.

Students In The UK Could Be Getting A Break! The government is considering dropping tuition fees for students who stay at home to study in exchange for them waiving their right to grants and loans! Ministers are considering the plan as one possible solution to the mounting conundrum over how to fund the growing university sector in a recession. The idea is contained in draft plans for a framework for the future of higher education, the BBC said. It is thought the idea will appeal to students from the poorest backgrounds who might be put off applying to university for fear of getting into debt, and to the rising numbers who are supporting themselves through part-time work while studying. Says the president of the National Union of Students, "The idea may work out well as a financial bonus for particular groups of individuals who we are desperately trying to bring into the higher education system, who have the ability but don't want the traditional experience of studying away from home. My key concern is that to incentivise students to stay at home could be a barrier to choice. I would be concerned if people limit their horizons and study at home when there may well be a better course or university elsewhere." Students pay £3,225 a year in fees but receive a loan to cover the cost, plus loans to live on and free grants for the poorest students. Even though the government eventually gets the loans repaid, the subsidy is a huge drain on the exchequer. The proposals would partly reduce that subsidy.

Need A Grant To Help Fix Up Your Home?

Government Grant Program Seeking Applications For Grants For Housing Repairs!

There is a government grant program that is NOW accepting applications for grants to help low- and very-low-income rural residents repair their homes. Says the program director, "Housing is a cornerstone of any thriving, stable community. As the Obama administration works to ensure that people remain in their homes, it is more important than ever to make certain their homes are safe, energy efficient, livable dwellings."

These grants are being provided to intermediaries such as town or county governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian Tribes, and nonprofit and faith- based organizations. The grants are distributed to homeowners or owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income people. The grants can be used to weatherize and repair existing structures, install or improve plumbing or provide access to people with disabilities.

For example, one agency used the grant in 2008 to make accessibility, weatherization and other improvements to a man's home. Included in the repairs was added insulation, weather stripping, seals around doors and windows, an energy-saving shower head and more efficient light bulbs.

Grant award amounts may be provided up to $10 million in competitive grants. Applications are due by the close of business July 10, 2009. Applications may be accessed electronically via the government's website..

The mission of this government grant program is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural sevelopment fosters growth in homeownership, finances business development and supports the creation of critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at local government offices or by visiting the website.

Teenage Girls Being Paid Not To Get Pregnant! To help keep young girls in school rather than them getting pregnant, one university is offering a program that will pay them not to get pregnant. As part of the baby-free program, girls attend weekly meetings where they learn about abstinence and contraceptives. At the end of each week, $7 is put into a fund that's off-limits until they go to college. To participate, girls must have never been pregnant, currently attend school, have a desire to go to college, and have a sister that gave birth before age 18. The program is currently at its max capacity of 24 girls. This program, however, is not without controversy! One organization's spokesperson has said, "It's hard to pay people to do something we think they should be doing regardless. It would be like if you didn't want young people to experiment with marijuana, you'd pay them not to do it." *I should note here that there HAS been a government grant program in the past that has involved marijuana before! Rose Others feels that with the costs of teen pregnancies reaching $9 billion annually, "paying teens $365 to stay baby-free seems like a modest investment -- especially if the program works.." Another organization's spokesperson has said, " Some grads of the program have saved upwards of $3,000 for college. We want to give them something to work toward. If someone believes in you, there's no end to what a lot of people can accomplish."

Government Job Opening!

Not only does our government have grant programs they also have job openings! I thought about putting this information on my Working From Home Blog but since it isn't a work from home opportunity, I decided to blog about it here.

There is currently a government job opening for Registered Nurses. There is more than one job vacancy that is open! The salary is $42,290 up to $76,206 and I'm assuming that that is a per year salary. The location is in the Tuscaloosa, Alabama area. The job description:

• Rotating Shift Vacancies Staff Nurses - Mental Health, Geriatrics & Extended Care, & Primary Care (rotating shifts)

For more information about this job, just click here

State Grant Program For Women In Business!! A $3000 grant is being made available for women in the following fields: Small business start-up and expansion Community development Continuing education and teacher support Child and elder care Health and human services Arts and culture In order to receive business-related grants, female applicants must be business owners and the primary manager of the company’s day-to-day activities, or associated with a non-profit organization that directly benefits women. This grant program is open to female residents of the state and the application is available online or they can be reached by phone by calling their toll-free number. Priority consideration for funding will be given to applications that: promote the empowerment of women emphasize collaboration between women entrepreneurs or non-profit entities supporting women directly benefit women or low-income and underserved populations support endeavors that immediately benefit communities in which the program's sponsor(s) have a presence for proposals that provide a sound plan for measuring performance and results. Please be advised that applications are due July 31, 2009!. Community peer review panels will select the grant recipients, to be announced in September. Last year’s grant winners included a collaborative project between a media production company and a domestic violence center; a Navajo art and culture program; therapeutic riding facility; quilt-making project for needy kids; refugee daycare facility; health literacy initiative; and an astronomy education project. This grant program was started to help bolster the efforts of everyday women who help strengthen the communities in so many ways through their various talents. It was created as an extension of an ongoing commitment to empower women in achieving financial independence.

Are There Any Grants For Home Repairs?

here is an excerpt from my Grants-Related Page:

HI MY NAME IS Y~. I AM INTERSTED IN A GRANT FOR REPAIR TO MY HOME PLEASE HELP ME OUT IN THIS SITUATION THANK YOU IN ADVANCE TELEPHONE# #`, PHILADELPHIA PA

When looking for a home repair-related grant the one thing that you are going to have to realize is that there is no one place that has grants for repairs to a home. It will depend on the type of repair(s) that you want. There are programs that help with the cost of heating-related repairs - such as getting your heating system repaired or replaced. In my own area (PA) there is a grant program for $25,000 worth of repairs to homes that fall within a certain area. There are also programs that provide assistance such as "emergency" funding for repairs and/or needed necessities so you can also look outside the realm of house repair categories as far as grant programs are concerned. So you assess the repairs that you need done and then you find the funding programs that you qualify for. It is as simple as that.


added 11/4/05

Being old, female and poor should be enough to find some sort of help to get $$ for home repair. I sent in paperwork for weeks and then was told I make too much (SS) for a grant and I don't have good enough credit to get a low interest loan. I thought they were for low income people. Only reason I have no credit is cause I don't buy on credit! Where do you go to find help? My house is in need of repairs badly.

I don't know which program you applied for but there are programs for those that are elderly. Case in point - I'm working with someone now because their heating system is not working and the program will repair it for free! It's really crazy because the same program will also pay an amount to her heating bill as well. It won't cover the whole bill but there will be 2 grants that will be applied towards the heating bill plus the repair work to her heating system. As a matter of fact if her heating system is shot they will install a new one! There are also programs that are tied in with the lottery - you know the money being used for programs to help the elderly with as much as a $500 check that can be deposited to a bank account - from a government program. In the area where I live the residents are eligible for $20,000.00 in repairs from a grant program. So you may not be looking in the right places or the specifics of the program that you were applying for have to be better known.


added 6/6/05

I was reading your message about the Gov-grant you are aplying for. I am a single and looking for any gov grant programs that I will be able to apply for. I have search the internet about all kinds of programs, but always comes up with these bokks that you have to buy in order to get these address to these company that you have to apply with. I would like to know if you could tell me a addres(s) where I can write to to apply for a grant. I need help in doing some work to my house in order to live in it safely. Any information would be much appreciated.

You will definitely have to start doing some homework. Just going from your post alone you would first have to see what is available in your area. If you are on any kind of assistance like food stamps then you should have a case worker. A lot of grant programs that relate to home repairs have to do with the elderly and disabled. However you should first check and see what programs are available under HUD and then from there check your state government and then from there your local governement facilities. There are also grants provided that are from organizations other than the government. For instance there is a grant of $125 for winning essays from single mothers to help inspire others. You have to look into all the options available to you.

Financial Assistance For Diabetics!

Here is a quote from an article appearing on Live-PR.com:

The Federal Government has billions of dollars in free aid and assistance available for diabetics and diabetic small businesses. Many of these grants, loans and other sources of aid are seldom awarded because eligible diabetics and diabetic businesses do not know about them, do not have internet access or knowledge of existing programs.

For instance, did you know that there are financial grant programs out there for diabetics who are handicapped, sixty-two to sixty-five or older that can provide assistance with necessary home repairs such as roofing and both inside and outside home repairs?

One of the staff members of these programs has said:

"There are billions of dollars in assistance and grants earmarked for people previously identified as credit risks. Public and private funds are now available for them to repair homes, start a business, consolidate debts and any worthwhile purpose." . In addition there are also several reduced-cost and free programs that already exist now to help diabetics and the economically disadvantaged who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Such programs include energy assistance, free prescriptions, home repair and legal aid.

The programs also includes job training, financial assistance, phone bill assistance, diabetic recipes, free grants and scholarship information.

For additional information on these programs you can contact the program director or you can visit the organization's website. The organization can also be contacted via their offices, telephone, email and website.

Grant Program To Help Pay For Home Repairs!

If you think that there are no grant programs out there that can help you financially with home repairs, then please read on. Here is a city-wide grant program that is encouraging its residents to apply for grant funding for needed home repairs.

One city is seeking federal housing money to help local homeowners pay for needed home repairs again.

City officials plan to apply for this grant money through the Community Development Authority. So far the city has received over $200,000 for low-income homeowners to repair their homes. There is also a growing concern for those residents who are seniors who have trouble paying for much needed repairs on their homes but don't have the money to pay for it.

The program starts with community meetings where residents can get applications and get their questions answered. They must then return completed applications to the city to demonstrate need. Applications will also be available at the mayor's office.

The application deadline is mid-summer and cities receiving grants will be notified in November.

Work on individual homes would not be done until 2009.

In the past, the grant money was used for new roofs, new windows, siding and outside paint. There is more emphasis on repairs that need to be done on the outside of the home. (I am assuming that because this is a city-run grant program, there is more emphasis on how the outside of the house looks in relation to the overall look of the city. A better-looking city, a better-looking revenue stream)