LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity has received a sizable grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to aid in improving the homes of low-income families.
Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager announced that Habitat for Humanity Lake County had received a $55,541 grant to assist 12 homeowners in Lake County with home repairs and rehabilitation.
“For many rural residents, maintaining a home with basic features such as indoor plumbing and safe electrical wiring is often unaffordable,” Tonsager said. “This program supports basic repairs to improve living conditions for rural residents with extremely limited incomes.”
Habitat for Humanity Lake County was among seven California organizations to receive the funds from the USDA Rural Development’s Housing Preservation Grant program.
In California, each of the grants is being leveraged with funding from additional sources totaling over $629,000, the USDA reported.
Other California recipients include:
- County of Nevada: $85,000 grant will assist with repairs for seven homeowners in Nevada County.
- Great Northern Corp.:$45,184 grant will assist six families repair their homes in Siskiyou County.
- Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians: $47,500 grant will assist in repairing six tribal members’ homes.
- Self-Help Enterprises: $85,000 grant will help preserve seven homes throughout Fresno, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties.
- Self-Help Home Improvement Project: $95,000 grant will assist in repairing 25 homes in Shasta and Tehama counties.
- Yurok Indian Housing Authority: $47,500 grant will help repair 11 homes of tribal members.
In all, more than $4.4 million in funding was given to recipients from 49 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to make repairs and improve housing conditions for low- and very-low-income rural residents, the USDA reported.
Funds are provided to intermediaries such as town or county governments, public agencies, federally recognized Indian tribes, and nonprofit and faith-based and community organizations.
These organizations then distribute the funds to homeowners and owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who repair dwellings occupied by low- and very-low-income residents. Funds are not provided directly to the ultimate recipients by USDA.
The USDA said grants may be used to make general repairs, such as installing or improving plumbing or providing or enhancing access to people with disabilities.
Funds also may be used to weatherize and make homes more energy efficient, the USDA reported.