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Beaver Twp. could lose housing money
It costs homeowners nothing to apply for or to participate in the program.
NORTH LIMA — Beaver Township is in jeopardy of losing thousands of dollars in housing rehabilitation funding because local homeowners have not responded to a program that could help them.
Over the past several months, Mahoning County and Beaver Township officials have asked home- owners in the township to apply for assistance through a Community Housing Improvement Program grant. Officials said that one homeowner has applied so far, although funding is available to rehabilitate six homes.
Because of the lack of response, officials have discussed canvassing the township and initiating a door-to-door campaign to increase awareness of the program and encourage local homeowners to apply.
The application deadline has been extended to Aug. 31.
“Homeowners are not responding to this opportunity, which means the township could lose this money,” said George Zokle of CT Consultants, the firm overseeing the program locally. He said county officials are preparing to open the program to the rest of Mahoning County to avoid having to give the money back to the state. He said if the money were returned to the state, it could hurt the county’s chances of receiving funding through the next CHIP grant.
“We certainly want to keep the funds in Beaver Township, because the CHIP grant may not come back to Beaver Township for years,” he said. He said about 13 months remain for the program, which should be ample time for the houses to be completed.
“But if there are no responses within the next several weeks, we are going to open it up to the rest of the county,” he added.
There is no cost to homeowners to apply for or to participate in the rehabilitation through the program. The federal money is made available to the state through the Ohio Department of Development and filtered to the county level through the Community Development Block Grant program. The program offers homeowners deferred loans to help them bring their houses up to code. The program targets specific areas, and this time is Beaver Township’s turn.
Here’s how it works: There is a mortgage filed on the property for the assistance received, and after five years, 85 percent of the assistance is forgiven. When the house is sold or transferred, 15 percent is returned to the county.
For example, if $20,000 is spent for the rehabilitation, $17,000 is forgiven, and only when the property is sold or transferred, $3,000 would have to be paid back to Mahoning County.
Homeowners may receive up to $30,000, depending on the cost of the work done, without addressing lead-based paint hazards, or $35,000 if addressing lead-based paint hazards.
Money could be used for roof and gutter work, doors, furnaces, hot water tanks, structural deficiencies, porches, floors, stairs, plumbing and electrical work. Air conditioning, detached garages, room additions, general property improvements and cosmetic work is not covered.
“It’s a great program and we’re at a loss as to why people are not responding and applying,” Zokle said. “Over the next few weeks, we’re going to do what we can to inform them and encourage them.”
Applications are available through CT Consultants or at the Beaver Township Administration Office. For more information contact Zokle at (330) 746-1200. Or, call the township office at (330) 549-3993.