The year 2021 saw residents spending more time at home, leading to some homeowners investing a more substantial portion of their earnings into maintaining and upgrading their home. According to home repair projects website Angi, the average home improvement spending was $10,341 this year—a 25% increase from 2020. Spending on emergency home repairs, according to the report, increased 42% over the previous year. Weather also played a key role in these unexpected expenses; the website revealed that in states that experienced severe weather conditions emergency repairs were even higher.
If you are in need of emergency home repairs or rehabilitation work and funds are tight, Layton City may be able to help. Layton has an Emergency Home Repair and Rehabilitation Program offering grant money for low-to-moderate income homeowners. For qualified households, funds may be used to immediately correct a home repair emergency determined to present an imminent danger to the health and safety of the occupants or residential property. Funds are available through the city’s Community Development Block Grant program.
Eligible Emergency Repair projects may include: leaking roof, broken water heater, furnace replacement, electrical work, burst pipes or a major water leak, blocked drain causing water surge, blocked toilet, broken water service line, broken sewer line and more. The emergency repair grant is capped at $3,000. The grant award only requires a 10% match from the applicant.
Qualifying Rehab construction may include: accessibility modifications, correction of code violations of health and safety concerns such as electrical, plumbing, leaking water heater, installing new energy efficient windows, new siding, stucco or roof, new water and/or sewer lateral. Optional repairs and improvements may include: new landscaping, attached garage and new driveway. The rehab grant may be awarded up to $5,000 and requires a 10% match from the applicant for costs. Both grants do not have a payback obligation.
To apply, contact:
Kate Nielsen, Construction Field Operations Director, Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity, 1276 South 500 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101; 801-263-0136 #5; kate@habitatsaltlake.com