Niagara Community Action Program grant to help with low-income housing repairs in Niagara County

By Benjamin Joe

Senior Contributing Writer

The Niagara Community Action Program Inc. rural preservation program is set to receive a $110,000 grant from New York State Affordable Housing Corp. to use in the next year and a half.

Suzanne Shears, CEO of NIACAP, said she is very excited about the grant and can’t wait to “sign the contract,” once it is received in mid-March. The grant will be used to help with home repairs in the towns of Niagara County, though it will not be used to repair homes in the three cities (Niagara Falls, Lockport and North Tonawanda).

Paul Crawford, supervisor of the rural preservation program, explained the process.

“The client calls and we screen them based on various criteria and, if they pass, then we send an application, or I deliver an application because I do have to take pictures of the roofs or hot water tanks or furnaces,” he said. “Once the paperwork is submitted, I set it out to bid to various contractors that we vet so they have insurance and workman’s comp.

“If everything goes well, I bring it before the committee for approval and certain other things, like additional funds from charitable organizations. … The committee usually goes with my recommendation based on my interviews with the client. Then, hopefully, we can turn things over.”

Crawford said the entire program is audited, so it is important to adhere to the eligibility qualifications of each applicant, which unfortunately can lead to the disqualification of some, but allows the office to remain eligible for future grants.

The rural preservation program was created in 1986 with the goal to preserve and enhance the housing stock in Niagara County for those living in low-income households, including seniors.

Crawford noted that, because of the limitations of the grant, which will only cover 60% of the cost of the project and only up to $5,000, Shear is always actively trying to find ways to bridge that gap through her work.

Shear confirmed that: “Sometimes, let’s say a roof repair or replacement comes out to be $10,000. The grant will cover a portion of it, but I have to find the balance. Sometimes what I do is use donations we get (from charitable organizations) and, if it’s in certain towns, we use town funding, because the town gives us a donation. Then I ask the homeowner.

“I’m so excited we got this grant for the towns.”

Interested residents can call 716-434-5679 for more information.