Home Improvement Program

Snow Belt Housing Company, Inc. has received a grant from the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC) to help homeowners make necessary repairs and improvements. The main purpose of the program is to remove or correct health or safety hazards of homes and to improve the general living conditions of residents. A majority of the cost of repairs must be used to perform work that prolongs the useful life of the home and to correct substandard conditions in the home. Grant funds are not intended to be used for improvements that make your house look nicer or make it more convenient.

Income eligible homeowners may receive a grant of 40% of the cost of repairs or a maximum of $7,500 whichever is less. The grant amount is based on the total cost of repairs. The remaining 60% of the cost of repair must be paid by the homeowner from any source including bank loans, savings, etc. We will assist you with applications from funds from other sources. You may be able to borrow additional funds from the Lewis County Revolving Loan Fund or receive a grant from another program, if funds are available.

How the Program Works

1.	Fill out an application and send it and the required documentation to Snow Belt Housing Company, Inc.
2.	Once your income eligibility is verified, our Rehabilitation Specialist will come to inspect your home. He will then prepare a work write-up and preliminary cost estimate of the work that needs to be done. If the project is approved, you will then be required to obtain three bids for your project from contractors on our approved contractor list. The contractors will bid on the job as per the work statement.
3.	The staff from Snow Belt will inspect the work in progress at appropriate times; however, the homeowner bears the final responsibility for seeing to it that the contractor’s work meets generally accepted standards.

Qualifying for the Program

1.	To qualify for the program your home and property must be owner occupied and must be your principal year round residence. No camps or summer homes are eligible for assistance.
2.	Proof of ownership must be on file at the County Clerk’s office and you must provide a copy of the deed. Mobile homes on rented lots and land contracts not filed with the County Clerk are ineligible.
3.	Your property taxes must be current and you must provide a copy of the paid receipt.
4.	You must have fire insurance coverage on your property and flood insurance coverage where applicable, and you must provide a copy of the insurance certificate.
5.	You must agree to sign a “5 year declining lien agreement” in favor of NYS Affordable Housing Corporation for the amount of the cost of the rehabilitation work to your property.
6.	Your gross income must not exceed 80% of median income for the size of your household. Click here for the Income Limit Table.

Applications are available at the Snow Belt Housing Company, Inc. office at 7500 S. State Street, Lowville, New York 13367. You may call the office at 376-2639 and one will be sent to you. Or, if you would like, you may click HERE to view the handbook for this program, and HERE to download an application in Adobe Acrobat format. An application fee of $25.00 is required at the time of application.