Need help paying for needed repairs around the house? The Westport Affordable Housing Trust Fund has re-opened the application period for its successful housing rehabilitation grant program, and the deadline to apply runs through the end of next June, or until the grant funds are exhausted.

Under its CRE-HAB program, trust members use available funds recovered from repayment of loans generated through the town’s former Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing rehab program to finance awards of up to $21,000 to help owners of properties assessed up to $400,000 repair and rehabilitate qualifying existing homes in Westport.
The grants come in the form of deferred payment loan (DPL) which will require a partial re-payment if the property is sold or transferred before the 10th anniversary of the loan. Applicants must meet income limits and other eligibility requirements.

Successful applicants will be asked to sign a DPL note and mortgage agreement, and a 10-year affordable housing restriction for the property.

The CRE-HAB program is designed to improve general housing conditions and eliminate building code violations at existing Westport homes owned by low and moderate income households. Examples of projects approved by the trust have included plumbing and wiring upgrades to eliminate or correct safety code issues, heating system improvements that will reduce homeowner energy costs, and roof, window, and siding replacements.
Other qualifying improvements eligible for grant awards include exterior renovations such as wheelchair ramps to make homes more accessible to persons with disabilities, and foundation repairs to address water infiltration problems.

The CRE-HAB program is a tool being used by the Trust to help low-income households stay in their homes, and to preserve the number of existing moderately-priced homes in the community. Information and application packages are available in the information rack on the second floor of Westport Town Hall, 816 Main Road, and online at the Affordable Housing Trust website (www.westport-ma.com/affordable-housing-trust-fund).

For more information on the program, or to request help with an application packet, contact the Westport Affordable Trust Fund’s housing assistance office in Town Hall, open Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It can be reached by e-mail to WestportHousing@outlook.com or by calling (774) 264-5126.