Grants available to help rural, low-income, disabled homeowners

Grants are available to help rural, low-income disabled homeowners in six southwestern Pennsylvania counties make repairs and renovations to their homes.

Disability Options Network, a non-profit based in New Castle, is administering a recently-awarded Housing Preservation Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The grants are provided to very low and low-income rural homeowners in Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer or Westmoreland counties who occupy their own owns and have a disability or a household member with a disability.

Funds from the grant will provide a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $3,000, in repair or renovation costs. The money can be used to make accessibility modifications, resolve health or safety issues, or make energy efficiency improvements.

“Each homeowner is responsible to provide and/or identify matching funds,” the network said.

Applications are being taken on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information or to ask for an application, call the Disability Options Network’s housing department at 724-652-5144, visit its website at www.doninc.org/hpp or visit its New Castle office at 831 Harrison St.