Health Access Network Health Access Motto
   
Affordable Housing Options
Tracey Cousineau, LSW-C
Outreach Manager
09/13/2007

Health Access Network (HAN) recognizes that decent, safe, and affordable housing plays a critical role in the health and well-being of their patients and community members.  Maine possesses some of the oldest housing in the nation.  Over the years, Penquis Cap has helped weatherize many houses in this area and is aware of the challenges to maintain and repair older homes.  Further, they know these challenges become greater as our population gets older and income levels decline.   As a result, the Home Replacement Counseling Program was created and is being sponsored by the Counties of Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Knox in partnership with Penquis CAP and MaineStream Finance.  Financial assistance is provided by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development CDBG Program. 

The Home Replacement Counseling Program works with homeowners who, due to poor credit, existing debt or inadequate income may have been unsuccessful in getting the financing necessary to secure a loan to replace their aging home.  Credit scores can be improved by participants who are committed to making positive changes in how they manage their money and pay bills.  Regardless of the financial obstacles you face, this program will work with you one-on-one to develop a plan and help you monitor progress. Here are some examples of how this program may benefit you:

September 18, 2007               Lincoln                     4-6pm

September 26, 2007               Millinocket               4-6pm

Household #  Average Household Income

1                                            $27,600

2                                            $31,550

3                                            $35,500

4                                            $39,450

5                                            $42,600

6                                            $45,750

7                                            $48,900

8                                            $52,050

 

While a replacement home can’t be guaranteed at the end of the process, the Home Replacement Counseling Program will work with you to help improve your credit as a critical “next” step toward qualification for home replacement and other financing options. Call Farrah Carmichael at 207-973-3605 or 1-800-215-4942 to sign up for one of the workshops listed above.

Though the Home Replacement Counseling Program focuses on home replacement, there are also other programs through Penquis Cap which offer home repair options.  These programs provide 1% mortgages or 0% deferred/forgivable mortgages to low-income homeowners for necessary home repairs.  With just one application, you can apply to both state and federal programs that fund renovations or repairs such as:

Penquis CAP is organizing a meeting of local officials and the public to discuss developing a housing rehabilitation program that would assist income eligible homeowners to fix their homes in the communities east of Lincoln.  They are interested in partnering with local communities to bring more housing resources to the area and respond to local needs and opportunities.  Please join Penquis Cap representatives on Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 7 pm at the Springfield Gym (green) on Route 6 in Springfield.  If you can’t make the meeting, but wish to express an interest, or to ask questions or comment, please call Michael Bush at 973-3545 or 1-800-215-4942.       

There are also programs such as Alpha One’s mpower program to assist with home modifications for the disabled, 1-800-300-6016 or www.mpowerloans.org.  A number of federal programs address the housing needs of elderly persons.  These programs are primarily administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS), 207-990-3676.  Don’t spend one more day overwhelmed with money issues due to inadequate housing.  The programs mentioned above are just a few of the options available.