Residents in East and Middle Tennessee will soon have access to a $1.5 million home repair program.
Governor Bill Haslam has agreed to commit $500,000 of Appalachian Regional Commission funding to the program, and Tennessee Housing Development Agency Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey said THDA will contribute $1 million.
The plan was proposed by THDA and marks the first instance in which the agency will receive ARC funding to assist its Appalachian residents.
The program will assist residents in distressed and at-risk counties to patch roofs, repair wiring, update plumbing and make other repairs to bring homes up to code for families that cannot afford to do on their own.
“The Appalachian region includes some areas of Tennessee that are among the most difficult for State agencies to serve despite a high number of families in need,” said Perrey. “It’s important to be creative in order to reach these families, and this program provides us with a unique opportunity to meet that goal.”
Twelve economically distressed counties identified by THDA will receive the most assistance followed by 19 at-risk counties.
“Homeownership in these counties is above the national average,” said Perrey. “However, the houses are considerably older than average, which makes repairs a more pressing concern, especially among families of low income.”
East Tennessee THDA Communications Coordinator Wes Bunch said THDA officials will identify non-profit organizations that will serve as a conduit for distributing the funding appropriately. These organizations will be posted in December at THDA.org, and the program will begin in January 2016.
Carter and Unicoi County residents interested in receiving assistance will then be able to apply through the network of non-profits.