CHRIC Receives State Funding for Home Improvement Programs

The Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation (CHRIC) was recently awarded funding by the New York State Office of Community Renewal for two home repair programs designed to assist seniors who have emergency repair needs; as well as people with health or age-related disabilities who need accessibility modifications. The two programs are RESTORE Chautauqua and Access Chautauqua.

1) RESTORE Chautauqua is available to qualifying lower-income homeowners over the age of 60 who are in need of smaller emergency repairs. Examples could include repairing or replacing a furnace or hot water tank that is not working, repairing stairs or porches to assure safe access in and out of the home, repairs to assure a safe and sufficient supply of water for household use, etc. The maximum available to any one household is $20,000. If the homeowner has received assistance under the RESTORE program in the past, that amount is included in the $20,000 maximum. Only owner-occupied homes can be assisted and the owner of the home must be over the age of 60. The homeowner must be current with their mortgage and property taxes and have homeowner insurance. Income limits depend on household size. Households with greater financial need may be prioritized for assistance if demand for assistance is greater than the available funding. For RESTORE, the annual household income must be below 100% of AMI, the following: household size of one – $57,000; household size of two – $65,200; household size of three – $73,300; household size of four – $81,400. Income limits continue to increase with household size.

2) Access Chautauqua can provide home modifications such as wheelchair ramps, walk-in showers, stair-chair lifts or other moderate modifications that will make the home safe to live in, depending on individual needs. The program is available to homeowners throughout Chautauqua County. Only owner-occupied homes can be assisted, although the modifications can be needed by a household member who is not the owner of the home. In order to be eligible, the homeowner must be current with their mortgage and property taxes and have homeowners insurance. For Access Chautauqua, the annual household income must be below 80% of AMI, the following: household size of one – $45,600; household size of two – $52,100; household size of three – $58,600; household size of four – $65,100. Income limits continue to increase with household size.

CHRIC is a countywide nonprofit agency that has been serving the needs of Chautauqua County residents since 1978. For more information or an application, please call CHRIC at (716) 753-4650.