Niagara County launches home improvement program

Submitted by the Niagara County Public Information Office

Niagara County Legislators Rich Andres and Rick Abbott on Wednesday announced the county has launched a pilot program funded by the New York State Landbank Initiative and administered by the Niagara Orleans Regional Land Improvement Corp. (NORLIC) that will provide grants to eligible homeowners in North Tonawanda and the City of Lockport for home repairs. The goal of the home improvement program is to help middle-income families make critical repairs to their homes, thereby ensuring neighborhood stability and preventing neglect.

“We are excited New York state is funding this pilot program in North Tonawanda and the City of Lockport as part of the county’s strategy to promote neighborhood revitalization,” said Andres, who chairs the county’s economic development committee. “Our hope is that this pilot program achieves our goals and we can return to the state for additional funding to expand it to other areas of the county in coming years.”

Eligibility for the program is based on household income up to 120% of area median income (AMI), which is about $120,000 for a family of four in Niagara County. Eligible home improvements could include: roof and gutter replacement; chimney repair; window replacement; furnace replacement; air conditioning replacement and electrical service upgrades.

“For many Lockport families, the affordability crisis means that necessary improvements to their homes have been put on the backburner, no matter how critical the work may be, and costs just continue to go up,” said Abbott, who represents much of the City of Lockport. “The home improvement program not only offers financial support to get this work done now, but ultimately helps prevent blight in our neighborhoods.”

The maximum grant through the home improvement program is $20,000. This is a reimbursement-based grant program. Homeowners are responsible for paying upfront for all approved work and will be reimbursed after completion, subject to program requirements. An informational webinar will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, May 4. It will be recorded for later viewing for those unable to participate.

Applications for the program must be received no later than Friday, May 29. Applications submitted without all required supporting documentation will be considered incomplete. Funds are limited, so applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.

For a full list of program guidelines and eligibility criteria, to register for the webinar and to download a program application, visit the NORLIC website at https://niagaraorleanslandbank.com/home_improvement.html.