Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, or HFHAC, is seeking U.S. Department of Agriculture Section 533 grant funding through the Housing Preservation Grant Program in order to provide critical home repairs and weatherization services to very low and low income homeowners. As part of their grant application, HFHAC would like to announce a Statement of Activities and encourage the public to express any concerns or make any suggestions to assist in the proposed project.
Statement of Activities
Assistance Requested
Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County plans to apply for USDA Section 533 grant funding through the Housing Preservation Grant Program in order to provide critical home repairs and weatherization services to very low and low-income homeowners.
Process for Selecting Recipients
Homeowners interested in participating in this program must complete an application and provide proof of income and ownership, along with other documentation highlighted in the application. Three basic family selection criteria are required for all Habitat partner families: demonstrated need, willingness to partner, and ability to pay. HFHAC defines the specifics of “need†for our community, taking into consideration housing conditions that are physically inadequate, unsafe, overcrowded, expensive, etc. HFHAC typically serves families with low incomes (approximately 60 percent of adjusted median income). Adjustments can be made to serve lower-income families subject to their ability to pay. During the family selection process, HFHAC will ensure that no family is debt-burdened by the selection decision.
Determining Needs
After a homeowner completes the application process, a determination is made regarding their eligibility for our home repair program, A Brush with Kindness, or ABWK. If they are selected for the program, the HFHAC family services coordinator and the construction manager meet with the family to determine their perceived needs. The construction manager then tours the home to visually inspect and determine other repair needs. A construction schedule is planned and executed with the assistance of volunteers and partner family members. After the project is completed, a final inspection is performed to ensure work completed is in compliance with all codes.
The following table highlights possible work to be undertaken based on the needs of the homeowner:
| SIMPLE HOME REPAIRS | WEATHERIZATIONÂ | CRITICAL HOME REPAIRÂ |
| Exterior scraping, caulking and painting | Interior and exterior work | Interior and exterior work necessary to maintain the home |
| Window repair (new screen, glass, glazing) | Replacement of windows and doors | Window replacement |
| Minor siding and trim repair | Caulking/foaming cracks and gaps | Extensive siding and trim repair or replacement |
| Minor roof repair and soffit or fascia replacement | Insulating openings, attics, crawlspaces, etc. | Major roof repair or replacement |
| Board replacement in porch, stair or ramp | Minor repairs to ventilation systems | Porch or wheelchair ramp construction |
| Door replacement | Adding or replacing door seals | Installation or extension of house systems (heating, electrical, plumbing, etc.) |
| Landscaping (pruning and trimming, weeding, reseeding) | Insulating pipes and duct work; wrapping water heaters | Floor and wall repair/replacement |
| Cleanup, brush/junk removal | Applying insulation in walls | Foundation repair |
| Weather stripping | Energy audits before and after work |
Development Standards
HFHAC builds to Energy Star 3.0 standards in addition to complying with all building codes in our project area. HFHAC will build to development standards set forth as part of our grant agreement if funding is awarded.
Time, Staffing, and Number Served
HFHAC seeks to complete five critical home repairs during the grant cycle. We estimate a time frame of five weeks per house. HFHAC will staff the project with one full-time construction manager and one part-time family services coordinator. In addition, HFHAC volunteer coordinator will schedule volunteers for the various repair projects, while the executive director provides oversight for the entire program. We estimate that approximately 15 people will directly benefit from the program (three people per house multiplied by five homes repaired.) Of course, some homes may have more family members and some less, but we feel this is a safe average to assume.
Geographical Area Served
The geographical area to be served is Anderson County, Tennessee, with the exception of the City of Oak Ridge. This area includes portions of Andersonville (population 4,301), Clinton (population 9,713), Lake City (population 1,856), Norris (population 1,489), and Oliver Springs (population 3,350), all in Tennessee.
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