| AACSC
333 W. BROADWAY ST.
SUITE 101
LONG BEACH, CA 90802
562.426.8341 |
|
|
|
Free
Money from the LAHD
As of 12/7/06
Free money! We thought
that might get your attention. To accommodate
low-income disabled renters, the Los Angeles Housing
Department is offering free exterior installations
to rental buildings. Free really means free. The
Department will pay for both labor and materials
and State licensed contractors provide all of
the construction services. The State of California
is providing the funding for the Exterior Accessibility
Grants for Renters (EAGR) Program. Services are
limited to low-income tenants with a qualifying
disability and the rental properties must be located
in the City of Los Angeles.
First, the Federal Section 8 Program definition
of low-income is used for the Program. In other
words, the income of all occupants in the household
must be equal to or less than the Section 8 Income
limits established by the United States Department
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The income
limits are published on the HUD website at www.huduser.org
for the Los Angeles/Long Beach Eligible Metropolitan
Statistical Area (EMSA) and updated annually.
Second, a qualifying disability under the Program
is defined as a physical impairment that limits
one or more major life activities. The requested
improvement(s) must be necessary to make the rental
housing more accessible to the existing tenant(s)
or prospective tenant(s). For example, there must
be a connection between the person’s disability
and the requested improvement. Example: door widening
or ramps for wheel chair access.
Third, the rental property must be located within
the Los Angeles City limits. In addition, at least
one unit must currently be rented by a low-income
tenant with a qualifying disability or if the
unit is vacant, the rental unit must be affordable
to a low-income tenant and the owner must market
the property to individuals with qualifying disabilities;
the property owner must provide written permission
to install the EAGR improvements; the property
owner and the tenant must approve in writing the
scope and design of the proposed improvements;
and the property owner must agree in writing to
maintain the accessibility improvements in working
order as long as the improvements are in place
and notify local independent living centers or
other agencies serving persons with disabilities
when a vacancy occurs in the accessible units.
We also realize that you are interested in the
bottom line. The maximum grant per rental unit
is $5,000 with a maximum grant amount of $15,000
per project. Example: a single unit rental property
would only qualify for up to $5,000 in installations
but a 4-unit property could qualify for up to
$15,000. Additional funds may be allocated for
a project if there is compelling evidence from
the applicant or contractor of the need for additional
expenditures. In most circumstances, however,
the City will not pay more than the above-mentioned
amounts in total compensation for work done at
a single site, unless more than three tenant households
can benefit from the proposed accessibility improvements.
There are no covenants or agreements recorded
against the title of the property.
At this point, you are probably wondering what
disability “installations” means.
Installations may include, but are not limited
to: widening the entrance door to the building
or unit door; installing a concrete and/or wood
and/or aluminum ramp; installing an intercom system;
cement walkways; lowering mailboxes; installing
Braille signage; installing handrails and grab
bars in the common areas; and installing a flashing
light to replace a doorbell.
Funding is limited. The State has only set-aside
$500,000 for the Program. If you are interested
in obtaining more information regarding this Program,
please contact the Los Angeles Housing Department
at (213) 808-8803. |
|
|
|
|
|
AACSC
Privacy Policy
web site designed & maintained by swiftmedia.net
|
AACSC,
333 W. Broadway St., Suite 101, Long Beach, CA 90802 / 562.426.8341
© Copyright 2008 Apartment Association, California Southern
Cities, Inc |
|
