City of Liberal Emergency Home Repair Assistance For the Elderly and Disabled

The Emergency Home Repair Assistance Program for the Elderly and Disabled is a program operated by the City of Liberal’s Housing & Community Development Department.  Funding for the program is provided by the City of Liberal One-Cent Sales Tax.

The purpose of the Emergency Home Repair Assistance Program is to provide financial assistance to low and moderate income elderly and physically disabled Liberal homeowners who require emergency repair work or accessibility modifications.  Repairs or replacement of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural systems which show obvious signs of deterioration, as well as modifications to the residence for the physically handicapped, are eligible.

An emergency repair is any repair necessary to correct an impending safety or health hazard, threat of physical danger, or deteriorating structural damage to residences owned by City of Liberal residents who are eligible.  A grant for eligible emergency home repairs can be made to eligible residents with an approved application.  The maximum grant amount is $2,000 based on 100% of the repair cost.  The minimum grant amount is $100.  Applicants will be limited to one application, one emergency repair item, and one grant during the program year as long as funds are available.  Only repair work that has received approval in advance by the Housing & Community Development Department will be eligible for a grant.

Emergency Repairs Which May Qualify for a Grant

• Mechanical, electrical plumbing and structural systems which show obvious signs of deterioration or require emergency repair.
• Drainage improvements to prevent or correct flooding of structures.
• Roof, if due to water leakage, damage or severe deterioration. (not caused by storm damage that should be covered by insurance).
• Building security.
• Stoves or refrigerators if existing equipment is unusable or unsafe.
• Replacement of fencing or tree removal if damage could result to structures.
• Improvements and modifications to the residence for physically disabled persons.
• Replacement of carpet, if a trip hazard exists or if hard flooring is necessary for handicapped improvements.

Projects That Do Not Qualify for a Grant

• General home repairs, cleaning, regular or seasonal maintenance.
• Exterior or interior painting; any interior improvement such as wallpaper or paneling.
• Regular replacement or upgrading of household appliances.
• Landscaping, including tree pruning or cleanup of weeds and debris.
• Insulation.  (Ask our office about the Weatherization Program.)
• Purchase of equipment used to make home repairs.  Any repair work covered by insurance or warranty.
• New construction, expansion or remodeling.
• Pool, sauna or hot tub installation or repair.

Are You Eligible to Receive an Emergency Home Repair Grant?

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be the owner-occupant of the home on which the repair work is to be made.
• Your home must be located within the City of Liberal.
• You must be at least 60 years of age or older on the day of application or you must be permanently disabled of any age.
• You must have proof of insurance on the property.
• All property taxes must be paid to date.
• Grant funds are available to Liberal residents whose income does not exceed 125% of the area median income:

                                            Household Size                                             125% of Median

  1                                                                  $52,812                     

  2                                                                  $60,312                     

  3                                                                  $67,890                     

  4                                                                  $75,390                     

How You Can Qualify for an Emergency Repair Grant

• You must complete and submit an application along with at least one written estimate and obtain approval in advance to be eligible.
• If prior approval cannot be obtained due to the seriousness of the emergency, you may be eligible provided you contact the Housing & Community Development Department by the next working day.  You must also show proof of the work that was completed with written receipts.
• To obtain an application, call 620-626-2250 or come to our office at 324 N. Kansas Avenue.  We can also provide you with a list of local contractors if you should need information about locating a contractor who does home repair work.
• When we receive your application or telephone call, a member of the Housing & Community Development staff will call on you to inspect the work that needs to be done to approve the repair work for eligibility in the Emergency Home Repair Program.
• A staff member will then issue you a written notice if your repair work and application are eligible.
• When the work is finished, fill out the Completion Notice on the Approval form and return to our office along with your paid receipt from the contractor.
• When we receive your signed Completion Notice with the paid receipt, a final inspection will be done by our staff.
• Upon completion of our final inspection, payment will be processed.
• If the total cost of the work exceeds $300, the work must be completed by a contractor who is licensed through the City of Liberal and carries proper insurance in order for the work to be eligible for a grant.
•  We will be happy to provide you with assistance, but the selection of who does the work and the quality and cost of the work will be the responsibility of the applicant.

Permits

The applicant will be solely responsible for obtaining any required permits needed to do the work described in the approved application.  If a permit is needed and not obtained, the project will not qualify for grant funds.

Confidentiality

Any personal or financial information submitted by an applicant will be confidential and will be only available to the City of Liberal Housing & Community Development staff.

Tips on Contracting for Home Repair Work

• We encourage you to compare prices.  Get at least two written estimates for the same work when possible.
• Ask for local references from contractors. 
• Don’t agree to sign anything you do not understand.  Ask questions – know what you are getting for your money.
• Don’t be pressured into purchasing items or contracting for repairs you don’t want or need.
• Ask about guarantees and warranties on the materials and the labor.
• Never pay for repair work in advance.  (Although you may have to pay a deposit if your project requires the ordering of special items or materials.)
• Ask the contractor if he will provide all the permits that are required for the repair work.

How Do You Apply?

For more information and an application, please call the Housing & Community Development Department at (620)626-2250.  Funds are limited and applications will be provided on a first come first-served basis.  Work under this program may be done in conjunction with work under the Housing Rehabilitation Program.  This program is financed through the City of Liberal One-Cent Sales Tax.

• City of Liberal
• Housing & Community Development
• 324 N. Kansas Avenue
• Liberal, KS 67901
• Phone:           (620) 626-2250
• Fax:                (620) 626-0589

THE EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL BE SUSPENDED IN CASE OF CITY WIDE STORM DAMAGE.  THERE WILL BE NO APPLICATIONS TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF HAIL, TORNADO OR WIND DAMAGE.  THIS DAMAGE SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY INSURANCE.