Yale residents dip into MSHDA home grant
YALE — More than a half-dozen Yale residents had applied for homeowner rehabilitation funding via the Michigan State Housing Development Authority MI Neighborhood program, a federally funded program that can disperse funding to homeowners seeking high priority home repairs, as of Sept. 28, according to city staff.
The city is receiving $944,000 through the grant, of which $774,080 is free to be dispersed to applicants’ work. The remaining funds are tied to administrative costs.
That grant, assuming applicants meet strict requirements, allots a homeowner up to $25,000 for work like roof or furnace repairs, water heater replacements, or ADA accessibility upgrades.
Applicants are restricted to making 80% of the Area Median Income, and do not cover just any work. Repairs to rental properties or mobile homes, for properties under a reverse mortgage, or using funds to pay delinquent taxes do not qualify. Work would be done by approved contractors.
As long as the homeowner stays for five years, the funds do not have to be repaid.
MI Neighborhood manifests from a grander state goal to address housing needs, but leaves afforded dollars and their use up to individual cities, nonprofits, or for-profit developers.
Some funding dispersed through the program is intended to spur new unit growth, whether to build new single-family homes or small rental housing projects.
The funding Yale is receiving is “to keep current homes safe and in good condition,” MSHDA’s synopsis of the program reads.
More than 63 percent of housing units in Yale were built before 1970, according to state housing data that MSHDA provides alongside the grant information on its website. That figure is over 1.5 times the state average, MHSDA’s data conveys.
The application period remains open, and residents may apply online or pick up applications at city hall.
— Max Kappel is a Report for America corp member, a national organization seeking to fill news deserts and report on under-covered issues. Make a tax-deductible donation to support his work and Report for America will match it dollar for dollar. Go to: tinyurl.com/2s372ebu.
