Home Repair Ministry
Purpose
- To provide home repairs for property owners whose income is too low to allow them to hire people to work on needed repairs, so that they may continue to live in a decent affordable home.
- To impact the living conditions of a larger number of people, since we can repair ten to twenty houses for the cost of building one house.
Profile of Qualified Applicants
- Elderly and/or with physical limitations.
- Low income and can’t afford contractor prices.
- May have been cited for zoning violations and are at risk of being ordered out of their houses.
Application Requirements
- Property must be owner-occupied. The resident should be the legal owner of the property and should intend to remain in the home.
- Primarily repairs are limited to items that represent a threat to health, safety, or building stability. Energy saving repairs will be considered where it impacts on quality of life.
- The overall condition of the home must be sound enough to justify the repair cost.
- Household income must fall below the maximum limit from the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) yearly Regional Income Limits adjusted for family size and county. There is no minimum income requirement.
2007 Regional Income Limits — Morris County 2 People 3 People 4 People 5 People 6 People Low $32,863 $36,971 $41,079 $44,365 $47,651 Very Low $19,718 $22,182 $24,647 $26,619 $28,591 2007 Regional Income Limits — Sussex County 2 People 3 People 4 People 5 People 6 People Low $29,622 $33,325 $37,028 $39,990 $42,952 Very Low $17,773 $19,995 $22,217 $23,994 $25,771 - Income must be stable enough to allow the family to stay in the home in the future and pay any necessary loan on the home repair.
- The maximum cost of materials for each repair project is $5,000.
- A homeowner could have multiple projects, but each project is limited to $5,000.
Willingness to Partner
Applicant must be willing to accept these responsibilities:
- Disclosure of personal financial situation, including employment history, household income and current debt burden.
- Completion of Habitat Application for Home Repairs.
- “Sweat Equity” contributions in an amount equal to 20% of the number of hours that a member or members of the Habitat team of volunteers are actually onsite doing repairs. The sweat equity work for the family will be planned in consideration of age and physical ability of the family. Creative ways for the family to complete the hours may include things such as helping in the office, stuffing envelopes, writing thank you notes or baby-sitting for another Partner family’s children.
Cost
- Volunteer labor is free.
- Project cost is based on material cost, up to a maximum of $5,000.
- There will be a $50 application fee if the applicant is selected to partner with MHFH. The fee will cover additional insurance costs of the program.
- The homeowner is responsible for the cost of materials and permits.
- Very low-income families may have some repair costs provided by the Dale Anderson Memorial Fund. This fund was set up in memory of the former Florham park mayor and is administered by the Morris Habitat office staff.
Application Process
- To receive an application, call, write or the Morris Habitat offices.
- The homeowner application will be completed and turned over to the Homeowner Relations Team for review, including income verification and a credit check.
- Property is inspected to identify repairs and determine if the overall condition of the home is sound. The Habitat Construction Manager will assign a Project Coordinator after the scope and type of repairs are identified.
- The Project Coordinator will prepare a list of the repairs, including materials and tools needed and estimate of project cost, and review with the homeowner.
- The necessary Habitat approvals will be obtained and a Project Agreement prepared and signed by both the homeowner and a Habitat representative.
Non-Discrimination Statement
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.