Lancaster city home improvement program seeks to expand - LancasterOnl...

http://lancasteronline.com/lancaster/news/lancaster-city-home-improveme...

Lancaster city home improvement program seeks to expand

By DAN NEPHIN | Staff Writer | Posted: Friday, April 17, 2015 6:45 am
Luz Martinez North Plum Street brick rowhome needed work.
Like many Lancaster city houses, its an older home, built in 1913. It had older-home
problems.
The roof was at the top of her list. And there was mold around some windows a concern
because her daughter and grandson have allergies.
But working at a nonprofit, Martinez, 56, doesnt earn much.
And her familys financial situation changed drastically during the 11 years her familys
lived there.
Sam, her 62-year-old husband, developed Alzheimers disease and is on disability.
But their home still needed work.
Last fall, through an acquaintance, Martinez got details of the citys Homeowner Rehab
Program, which offers home improvement loans to qualified low- and moderate-income
homeowners.

luz martinez01.jpg
Luz Martinez works in the kitchen of her
North Plum Street home on Thursday,
April 16, 2015, that was updated through a
program the city is seeking to expand.
(Richard Hertzler/Staff)

Martinez is the kind of person the rehab program and two related ones addressing lead and emergency repairs aims to help.
Martinez said she was grateful for the assistance.
Because people like me, in my situation, if this program werent around, we wouldnt be able to get our homes up to code or
renovated, she said.
But others in need are missing out on the opportunity.
The city is trying to make more people aware of the program, and to get them to take advantage of it, said Randy Patterson, the citys
director of economic development and neighborhood revitalization.
Over the past six years, 68 homeowners took part in the rehab program, receiving some $1.43 million in U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development grant money.
Patterson said more could have applied for, and received, help.
Martinez was able to get needed electrical work done, new kitchen cabinets and counters, a new furnace and new water heater.
And she wont have to repay the $16,960 loan if, as planned, she stays in her home for 10 years.
It works this way: A lien is put on the home for the amount of work. But 10 percent is forgiven each year the person stays in their home.
If a homeowner moves, he or she must repay the balance.
I live paycheck by paycheck so its very tight, Martinez said, holding back tears on a recent morning.
And with her husbands health issues, We dont know how long hes going to make it, so if hes gone, then I dont have his (disability)
income, either, and then I really dont have any (money) to repair, she said.
On average, according to Marisol Torres, the citys housing and economic development administrator, a home rehabbed through the
program increases in value by about 33 percent.
That doesnt always happen, but Patterson said a program goal is also to help preserve the citys housing stock.
After Martinez was accepted into the program, a city housing inspector visited. He began noticing other issues that should be addressed

1 of 2

5/17/2015 4:22 PM

Lancaster city home improvement program seeks to expand - LancasterOnl...

http://lancasteronline.com/lancaster/news/lancaster-city-home-improveme...

besides the roof.

Martinez grew concerned as the list of mounted. (Under the program, a home must be brought into compliance with city codes.)
Then there was the big problem lead.
It was in the paint on windows, doors and baseboards.
With Martinez 1-year-old grandson in the home, that would have to be addressed under a city ordinance.
Lancaster County has several communities with high lead-related issues, which are commonly associated with homes built before lead
paint was banned.
Lead program
The city also has a lead-remediation program, and officials would like to see more people take advantage of it.
At Martinez home, the program covered at no cost to Martinez replacement of most windows and some doors, as well as other
remediation.
The $13,930 for that work came through HUDs Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.
Over the past six years, the city has gotten about $736,250 and has remediated 86 houses, according to Torres.
The federal money used to come to the city through a state pass-through program but that program has ended and HUD intends to solely
deal with municipalities, according to Patterson.
The city had also applied directly to HUD for lead remediation money, asking for about $850,000 in 2011 and about $930,000 in 2012.
The requests were turned down.
We were actually told we didnt apply for enough and thats part of the reason we were turned down, Patterson told city council
recently.
In a subsequent interview, Torres said the city only has just a few employees in the department, so officials didnt want to seek more
money than they could expect to spend. The city will reapply and plans to partner with other agencies to have a broader reach, she said.
Emergency repair program
The city also offers zero-percent interest loans under its Critical Repair Program for certain emergencies. Loans are up to $8,000,
repayable in up to five years and are also income-based.
No local tax money or other funds are used for any of the three programs.
While people may be deterred because the rehab and lead programs are aimed at low- to moderate-income homeowners, the limits allow
more people to be eligible than might be presumed, Torres said.

2 of 2

5/17/2015 4:22 PM