Funded entirely through agency earnings, the Helping HAND program has awarded more than $7.3 million since its creation in 1993.
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) – The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency is distributing $240,000 in grants to local organizations across the state to help lower-income households repair and maintain safe housing, agency officials announced Wednesday.
The funds, awarded through the agency’s Helping Housing Across North Dakota (Helping HAND) program, support existing local single-family home rehabilitation initiatives.
“Helping HAND grants support rehab programs that provide North Dakotans of limited means with assistance in maintaining their home, ensuring it’s safe,” said Brandon Dettlaff, executive director of the housing agency.
Grant recipients in eastern North Dakota include the Southeastern ND Community Action Agency in Fargo, which received $63,703, and Community Action Region IV and VI in Jamestown received $45,064.
Additional local funding was directed to non-profit housing groups, including Red River Valley Habitat for Humanity ($4,000) in Grand Forks, as well as Rebuilding Together ($1,200) in Fargo.
To qualify for assistance, households must earn 80% or less of the county median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Local rehabilitation programs must also secure matching funds of at least 25% of a project’s total cost to access the state grant dollars.
Dettlaff noted that exterior repairs are the most common type of work funded by the program.
Funded entirely through agency earnings, the Helping HAND program has awarded more than $7.3 million since its creation in 1993. That funding has leveraged more than $51 million in total rehab investment and assisted over 8,200 individuals and families statewide.
Homeowners seeking home repair assistance are advised to contact their regional grant recipient organization directly to apply.
Comments