Low-income homeowners in Buncombe or Madison County with damage related to the destruction of Hurricane Helene can now apply for help with Asheville Habitat.
The organization expanded its Home Repair services after the storm devastated the region and significantly increased the community need for home repair, especially among low-income homeowners.
Habitat’s new Disaster Repairs program supplements its traditional repair program and is a partnership with other agencies through ARCHR (Asheville Region Coalition for Home Repair).
Low-income homeowners with storm-related damage who are otherwise unable to afford repairs are encouraged to apply. In particular, the Disaster Repair program aims to help low-income homeowners who are uninsured and under-insured. Disaster related issues include trees, flood, roof, hazards, and access.
Joel Johnson, Director of Asheville Habitat’s Home Repair program, explained, “We are working in partnership with various other repair-focused organizations through the ARCHR Collaboration to address Hurricane Helene-related damage to homes in our community. We are focusing on low-income homeowners who do not have access to funds to handle their critical repairs. Qualified applicants will have their homes assessed for storm damage and repairs capable of being completed by ARCHR organizations and qualified subcontractors. Any repair work done for qualified families will include a contract for the work and will be completed at no cost to the homeowner.”
Applications may be submitted on Asheville Habitat’s website, https://www.ashevillehabitat.org/housing-programs/disaster-repairs. Qualifying criteria for no-cost repairs include:
- Household income must be no greater than 70% of the area medium income (AMI) based on household size
- Damage must be storm-related
- Owner must live in Buncombe or Madison County
For questions about program requirements, call (828) 251-5702.
About Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHH) was the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Now serving Buncombe and Madison Counties, AAHH provides affordable homeownership and home repair programs to qualified low-income residents seeking to build a better future on the foundation of stable housing. A decent place to call home and an affordable mortgage enables Habitat homeowners to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunities, and have greater financial stability. The home repair program preserves the character, affordability, and diversity of local neighborhoods and enables long-time residents to stay in their homes.
Learn more about Asheville Area Habitat and how you can get involved at ashevillehabitat.org.
