Laurence Young of Provincetown had windows in his condominium dating back to the early 1980s, and electric heat upstairs that was expensive no matter how sparingly used.
That changed in the fall when the nonprofit Community Development Partnership (CDP) gave him a forgivable loan to replace windows, doors, and his electric heat. His electric bill is now half what it used to be, his heating costs are down, and his views out of his new windows just a bit brighter.
“It worked out really well,” said Young, an artist. “The contractor was nice, he showed up when he said he would, and he was really clean. I would encourage anyone who is eligible to take advantage of this program.”
Qualified residents of Harwich, Eastham, Truro, and Provincetown can receive deferred, forgivable loans of up to $40,000 per household to pay for critical home repairs through the CDP’s Housing Rehab Program.
The program is designed to preserve existing homes for year-round residents whose income is at or below 80 percent of the median area income. The median incomes for Barnstable County are $54,150 for an individual, $61,850 for two people, $69,600 for a family of three, and $77,300 for a family of four, according to Terri Barron, director of the CDP’s Housing Rehabilitation Programs.
All loans are zero interest, and fully forgivable if the resident complies with the terms of the loan and maintains the home as their primary residence for the 15-year loan term.
Despite these perks, applications have not been top of mind for people this year because of the pandemic, said Britt Beedenbender, chief development and communications officer at the CDP.
“I think in large part it just fell out of people’s consciousness,” she stated. “We should have had half the funds encumbered by now and we do not.”
No one has recently applied from Provincetown, she said.
Repairs can include, but are not limited to, roofing and siding, electrical, heating and plumbing work, lead paint abatement, and energy efficiency upgrades.
The CDP works with local contractors so the money stays in the local economy.
For more information or to complete a pre-application, go online to capecdp.org/affordable-housing/housing-rehab. (Once the pre-application is reviewed, a determination will be made as to whether the homeowner should complete a full application.)
The CDP’s Housing Rehabilitation Program is offered in partnership with Truro using community development block grant funds provided by the state’s Dept. of Housing and Community Development.
To find out more information about the CDP see capecdp.org/.
