County Maintains Allocation Levels for 2014 Community Development Programs

Monmouth County will allocate $825,000 in community development funding to two programs that will assist low and moderate-income homeowners in 2014.

The proposed projects for community development, which have been funded on an annual basis for more than 20 years, were presented at a public hearing at the Monmouth County Freeholders' regular meeting Thursday.

“Monmouth County homeowners who meet the Federal income guidelines are eligible for either emergency or substantial rehabilitation for their homes to alleviate code violations, improve energy efficiency, and remove barriers to accessibility for the disabled,” county spokesperson Laura Kirkpatrick said.

A 2014 Housing Improvement program will provide 10-year interest-free, deferred payment loans to assist low and moderate-income homeowners to rehabilitate their homes. Approximately $500,000 will be allocated to this program. Last year, 10 clients in Monmouth County were serviced at an average cost of $50,000.

Eligible homeowners may receive up to an average maximum of $20,000 for eligible property improvements and $20,000 for lead-based remediation problems, Monmouth County Community Development Director Owen Redmond said.

"We're not necessarily going to have a total of $40,000 for the one but we need to budget for it, and also, we're looking at maybe cuts in our program too. So we really have to look hard and fast at how we spend our funds," he said.

Eligible repairs include plumbing, sanitary plumbing, electrical, structural, roofing, heating/ventilation and remediation of lead-based paint hazards.

Around November or December of each year, this program is advertised for clients, Kirkpatrick said.

“Applicants are selected through a randomized lottery system, as demand for this program typically far exceeds the available funding,” she said.

The loan for this program will be totally forgiven if the homeowner resides in the housing unit for 10 years.

A 2014 Emergency Home Repair program will provide emergency home repairs to assist low and moderate income homeowners. Approximately $325,000 will be allocated to this program. Last year, approximately 65 homeowners were serviced at an average cost of $5,000.

"The maximum is $5,000 so we can take care of as many people as we can," Redmond said.

The county accepts applications on a rolling basis for the Emergency Home Repair program, Kirkpatrick said. Information on this program is distributed at public events, such as the Monmouth County Fair. It is also available at local senior citizen centers and community centers.

Redmond stressed that the Emergency Home Repair program is for emergencies only.

The project allocations for 2014 have not increased from 2013, according to Kirkpatrick.

These programs are determined annually. The Monmouth County Community Development Program, in consultation with the Monmouth County Department of Human Services’ Emergency Repair Program and the Monmouth County Citizen Participation Group recommend funding levels for countywide projects.

The county has not received its funding for 2013 yet, due to delays in the federal budget, Kirkpatrick said.

Any Monmouth County homeowner that meets the income eligibility guidelines, including those impacted by Superstorm Sandy, can apply for assistance through one of these programs.

“However there is an existing waiting list for the Housing Improvement Program and repairs under the Emergency Repair Program are limited in scope,” Kirkpatrick said. “The maximum assistance under the Emergency Repair Program is $5,000, although most emergency repair projects do not receive the maximum grant.”

These programs are funded through the county’s regular annual Community Development Block Grant allocation and are unrelated to Community Development Block Grant Disaster Programs, she said.

“Residents impacted by Sandy may wish to contact the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Office of Disaster Assistance, to access programs specifically designed to aid in recovery, since the funds discussed at (Thursday’s) Board of Chosen Freeholders' meeting will not be available until 2014,” Kirkpatrick said.