HOUSING SERVICES

AppCAA operates four programs that primarily address housing issues. During the 2002-2003 fiscal year, 54 homes were repaired or replaced.

Emergency Home Repair corrects problems affecting the health and safety in homes occupied by low-income residents. AppCAA can purchase materials up to $500 for each home selected for the program, with the AppCAA housing crew making the repairs. Examples of repaired hazards include rotten floors, minor electrical or plumbing problems. Funding Sources include: VA Dept. of Housing & Community Development & Community Services Block Grant.

The Home Repair program operated by AppCAA is a partnership with Rural Development. Rural development provides one-percent interest loans to low-income households and grants to low-income persons aged 62 or older for home repairs. The funding source is Rural Development, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

Indoor Plumbing Rehabilitation (IPR) Program was developed to ensure that every resident`s home has an indoor bathroom and running water. If the home can be brought up to Housing Quality Standards adopted by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development including the installation of a bathroom for less than $25,000, the home will be renovated; if costs exceed that amount, a new home can be built to replace the existing structure. Frequently, these homes are occupied by the elderly or disabled in our communities.

Water/Waste Water Program pays for the installation of new wells or septic systems where the existing ones fail, or for tap fees into public water or sewer systems. They also provide for pumping septic systems and replacing inoperable water heaters. The water table has been declining in the recent past causing wells to become dry and a need to dig new ones. A practice that occurs all too frequently in the area is "straight-piping", or the disposal of raw sewage into creeks. Without the financial resources provided by this program, water would not be available to those who need it and the health of the community could be adversely affected without proper sewage treatment and/or containment. The primary funding source for this program is Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project.

Weatherization makes homes more energy efficient by installing new heat sources, duct work, insulation, caulk, and/or weather stripping.  Initially, a blower door test is conducted before work begins to demonstrate the amount of heat escaping the home and where it is escaping. After the work is completed, the homeowner is trained on how to properly maintain the heating system. Weatherization reduces heating bills, on average, by 20 to 30 percent per year. Funding resources include: United States Department of Energy and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.

Winter Crisis Heating Program, operated in partnership with local Department of Social Service (DSS) agencies, repairs and installs heating systems for area residents without a safe heat source in their home. This program provided heat sources for 191 people in 72 households between November 1 and March 30.