"As one of this province's most successful services, the Provincial
Home Repair Program has shown amazing results in enabling
homeowners throughout the province to upgrade their substandard housing
at minimum cost," said Minister Hedderson. "Since 1976, home repair
assistance has been provided to more than 45,000 households or some
95,000 people in Newfoundland and Labrador."
The types of repairs that can be untaken with a PHRP
loan or grant include upgrades to heating, electrical or plumbing
systems, and renovations and retrofits to deteriorated structures,
foundations, windows, doors, roofing or siding. Applicants are addressed
on "first-come, first-served" basis; however, priority is given to
emergency repairs and persons with disabilities. Applicants must be
homeowners with annual incomes of $32,500 or less.
A total of 972 PHRP grants and repayable loans were
approved in 2009-10 for applicants in the Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor
regional areas. Throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, a total of 2,810
in grants and repayable loans were approved under PHRP in 2009-2010.
On average, PHRP applicants are approximately 61 years
of age, live in rural Newfoundland and Labrador, have annual incomes of
$16,000 - $17,000, and reside in homes that are approximately 40 years
old.
A maximum grant of $5,000 is available to homeowners
on the island, while homeowners in Labrador are eligible for a maximum
grant of $6,500. Persons with accessibility needs on the island and in
Labrador are eligible for a maximum grant of $7,500. Homeowners whose
repairs exceed these levels may apply for a low-interest repayable loan
of up to $10,000 [$13,000 in coastal Labrador]. In Newfoundland and
Labrador approximately 2,000 applicants are served under PHRP each year.
In 2008, the Government of Canada committed more than
$1.9 billion over five years to improve and build new affordable housing
and to help the homeless. As part of this investment, the Affordable
Housing Initiative (AHI) and renovation programs for low-income
households were extended for two years. For Newfoundland and Labrador
this represents $14 million in federal funding.
Canada's Economic Action Plan builds on this with an
additional one-time investment of more than $2 billion to build new and
renovate existing social housing for low-income Canadians, plus up to $2
billion in loans to municipalities for housing-related infrastructure.
Renovation work completed under this program is also
in keeping with the goals of the Provincial Government's Social Housing
Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador — Secure Foundations, which
outlines a new long-term vision for social housing aimed at improving
the housing circumstances of lower-income households and helping to
create healthier communities. A copy of the social housing plan is
available at
www.nlhc.nl.ca/SocialHsingPlan/report.pdf
.
More information on Canada's Economic Action Plan, the
Federal Government's plan to stimulate the economy and protect those hit
hardest by the global recession, can be found at:
www.actionplan.gc.ca. To find
out more about how the Government of Canada and CMHC are working to
build stronger homes and communities for all Canadians, call CMHC at
1-800-668-2642 or visit
www.cmhc.ca/housingactionplan
.
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