Free home repairs for vulnerable residents
By: Maddle McGay
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... For those who find themselves struggling to afford the necessary home repairs and improvements to keep their environment safe, there's a new program that aims to help.
.....
Greater Bergen Community Action has launched its Healthy Homes program, an initiative that aims to remediate environmental hazards in 140 residential units throughout Bergen and Passaic counties. For each, the organization is offering up to$15,000 worth of essential home improvements - to address risks like mold, lead and structural deficiencies - to vulnerable income-eligible populations like seniors age 65 years and older, disabled individuals and families with young children.
..... It is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Program Director Avery Headley said GBCA was one of just 20 organizations nationwide - and one of two in New Jersey - to receive the grant.
..... The first renovation as a part of this program was recently completed in Bergenfield, Headley said. The project involved replacing splinted flooring installing a new front door with better insulation and locks, fixing sagging ceiling tiles that were damage and remediating mold in the shower, among other things.
..... "She got flooring. We painted her second floor, and we did a really nice kitchen for her," Headley said. "We did so many different things that she was just so elated to be able to have these things done that she through she could never afford."
..... While GBCA had already been offering services like weatherization and lad abatement before this program, Headley said. Headley Homes helps fill the gap where there services miss.
.....
"We'll do a home inspection for about 29 of the health hazards that we look for, like post devastation, water intrusion, mold safety and other safety hazards. There's a whole gamut of things we can do in a house," he said. "Clients are extremely happy when they can't afford repairs that need to be done for years, and we're able to bring a resolution."
..... Lynne Algrant, chief resource and development officer at GBCA, said this program fits into the organization's overall goal of addressing h9ow health-related factors affect people's economic stability.
..... She said that if a family has children with asthma and lives in an area with bad air quality, for example, those children may miss a lot of school days, and therefore the parents may lose out on income form missing work. But if the organization is able to replace the home's windows and provide new air filters to improve air quality, it benefits family members' health and financial standing.
..... With that, Algrant said, the organization also wants to find ways to provide assistance to families that don't necessarily qualify for certain programs, but are still struggling financially.
..... "One of the things that is a real challenged right now, particularly in New Jersey but also nationwide, is that many of our programs are tied to the federal poverty level or some percentage of the federal poverty level. The federal poverty level is shockingly low," she said. "In New jersey particularly northern New Jersey, people aren't thriving until they are earning about 33% of the federal poverty level. So there's a large group of people who are struggling but don't quality for services."
..... Algrant said the Healthy Homes program is just one more way for the organization to address common health concerns and economic struggle for North Jersey residents.
..... Visit greaterbergen.org/healthy-homes to learn more about the program, and visit greaterbergen.org for a full list of services offered by the organization.