HONESDALE -- Wayne County plans to partner with NeighborWorks NEPA to apply for the Whole-Home Repairs Program, which will provide nearly $330,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to address habitability and safety concerns, among other things, in the homes of the county’s low-income senior citizens.
The County Commissioners recently adopted a cooperation agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with NeighborWorks NEPA to complete an estimated 19 projects through the Aging In Place program it started in Wayne County last year.
Wayne County Chief Clerk Andrew M. Seder explained that the referrals for participation in the Whole Home Repairs Program will come from the County’s Area Agency on Aging and its Housing Department as well as the Wayne County Redevelopment Authority.
The funding would be used to bring properties up to standard in order to qualify for other programs like weatherization and therefore the work will be focused on critical home repairs. Along with the income guideline, the county has also chosen to focus the dollars on the elderly population.
This program also provides funding to the counties for building trades-related workforce development. Seder said the Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance feels it has the training funds it needs, but will be using the $5,000 to pay stipends to contractors in order to meet certification and licensing requirements.
For more information, visit https://www.nwnepa.org/programs/aging-in-place/