Help is still available for homeowners

Fremont officials are still looking to help some lower income residents renovate their homes.

What was originally meant to be a pilot three-year

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development community development block grant project has been extended by at least one year, said Jan Rise, Fremont administrative services director.

The problem lies in the funding, Rise said, adding the second-year phase of the program can’t start until all of the money for the first-year phase in the city is depleted. Funds for the program are designed to be low-interest loans to lower-income homeowners.

“We still have money in phase one,” she said.

The contract deadline for the first phase of the program has had to be extended three times �” most recently to

Feb. 28, 2009.

But Rise said there is only about $25,000 left in the first-year phase of the community revitalization program, and as soon as that money is gone the second-year phase will begin.

“We’re looking for people who we can help with this,” she said. “I want to reinforce to the Fremont community that we do have rehab money available.”

Three areas of the city are targeted for the program: An area south of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks bordered by Pierce, Marcella and Union streets; two areas north of the UP tracks bordering 10th, Clarkson and H streets and 10th, Clarkson, Bell and 23rd streets.

But Rise said now houses outside a five-block area of those borders are also eligible on a case-by-case basis, but she said there’s one problem that seems to keep this project from just taking off.

“The houses have to be owner occupied to qualify,” she said. “That’s the problem we’re having. So many houses in this area are rental properties. They don’t qualify.”

Even though the downtown area is part of the target areas, almost all of downtown doesn’t qualify because those are commercial buildings, which aren’t eligible for the program, she said.

Along with the extended borders of the target area, there is another change. Rise said the loans can be forgivable if the owners live in those houses for 10 years.

But in order to qualify for the low-interest and forgivable loans, household incomes must fall below financial guidelines, she said.

To qualify, those living in the house cannot make more than $38,850 for a three-person household or $35,450 for a two-person household.

Rise said she hopes local homeowners will take note.

“People should not be reluctant to apply,” Rise said. “A housing specialist will walk the homeowners through the project and look for things that they might not have even considered.”

Even though the project is still in the first phase, funds for the second and third phases already have been approved for the city, she said.

“The impact is going to be very positive,” she said. “We will be able to rehabilitate homes that would not have gotten rehabbed otherwise.”

Phase two funding for the city is just less than $143,000, while the city will have just more than $139,000 for phase three.

The contract deadline for phase two is Feb. 28, 2009, but Rise said she’ll ask for an extension “unless we’re flooded with qualified applicants.”

Funding for the program is divided between housing remodeling projects and acquisition-demolition projects. Property on which houses are demolished will be donated to Fremont Area Habitat For Humanity.

“One of the requirements is to rebuild on those properties,” she said. “Habitat is a good partner.”

She said anyone wanting more information on the program can call the city office’s general number at 727-2630 or call Brenda Anderson at the Northeast Nebraska Development Council at (402) 379-1150.