In partnership with the Nelson County Job Development Authority and Nelson County, the Red River Regional Council (RRRC) is currently seeking interested homeowners for a potential housing rehabilitation project for owner-occupied homes within Nelson County. Applications are being sought until February 1, 2021 to meet grant funding deadlines.

The program assists qualifying low income residents with health and safety issues in their homes at no cost to the homeowner. Common repairs include roofing, windows, doors, plumbing, heating, electrical, and other safety or accessibility items. Federal funding sources also require lead paint, floodplain, and historic preservation issues be addressed. When complete, all homes must meet Section 8 Housing Quality and Safety standards.

The RRRC is currently seeking interested homeowners to apply for the potential project in Nelson County. Similar projects were recently completed in Cavalier, Grafton, and Park River. The RRRC is currently working with the City of Minto to complete a housing rehabilitation project in that city.

Determining the number of interested and eligible applicants will assist in developing a possible funding package for the potential project which will include several federal grant funding resources. If grant applications are successful, any potential applicants will need to provide updated income documentation at that time, likely in the summer or fall of 2021. Actual rehabilitation of homes would likely start in the fall of 2021 or early 2022.

Eligiblity

To be eligible for this program, homes must:

• Be single-family
• Be owner-occupied (no rentals)
• Mobile homes are not eligible
• Homeowners must not have outstanding debt/taxes with Nelson County or its cities
• The cost to rehabilitate a home must be conducive to its true and full value

To be eligible, current total gross household* income must be less than:

1 person              $46,850

2 people              $53,550

3 people              $60,250

4 people              $66,900

5 people              $72,300

6 people              $77,650

*Household is defined as anyone living in a household full-time. Income of anyone age 18 or older is included in household total. These are 2020 income limits that may chance when 2021 income limits are available in spring of 2021. When released, these income thresholds may change slightly.

How to Apply

To apply, a two-page application must be completed. Applications are available at the Lakota City Hall or McVille City Hall during business hours or by contacting the RRRC at 701-352-3550. They are also available on the RRRC website: www.redriverrc.com

In addition to the application, potential applicants must provide the following income documentation:

• A copy of 2020 property tax statement to prove ownership.
• A copy of the homeowner’s 2019 income tax statement.

Please be advised that further and/or updated income documentation must be provided when the program begins. Required documentation may include personal bank statements, homeowner’s insurance statement, and if applicable, social security benefits statement or pay stubs. Updated documentation will need to be provided once grant funding sources are secured, likely summer or fall of 2021. Potential applications and supporting documentation are currently being accepted until February 1, 2020 to determine the number of interested and eligible homeowners when securing grant resources for the potential project.

For more information about the project or how to apply, please contact Lori Estad or Stacie Sevigny at the RRRC by calling 701-352-3550 or Lori@redriverrc.com or Stacie@redriverrc.com

The two page application can be found here:

Contractors

Contractors will be needed to perform the work for this project. The types of contractors needed include general (windows, doors, siding, etc.), roofing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC. If you are an contractor interested in being contacted regarding this project, please complete the contractor interest survey here:

It is expected bids would be solicited in late summer or fall 2021 for work to begin late 2021 or early 2022. Complete information including potential lead-based paint certifications can be found under Housing (Developing Our Communities) on this website.