Funds are available for local homeowners to help finance home improvements through low-interest loans and grants.
If homes are in need of repairs, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is gearing up to be of assistance to homeowners with loan/grant funding.
Applicants must own and occupy the home and their income may not exceed guidelines established by county and household size. Income limits vary by county and average $21,600 for a one-person household and $24,700 for a two-person household in northeastern Minnesota.
Income limits increase for larger-sized households. Applicants are advised to check with the local USDA Rural Development office for income limits in a particular county.
For loan eligibility, applicants must also have an acceptable credit history, show repayment ability, be unable to afford a conventional loan and live in a community with a population of 20,000 or fewer.
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The maximum loan is $20,000, repayable over 20 years with a 1 percent interest rate.
Grants are limited to elderly homeowners older than 62 and can only be used to remove health or safety hazards or remodel dwellings to make them accessible to household members with disabilities. The maximum grant is $7,500.
For assistance in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing and Morrison counties, contact the USDA Rural Development office at 7118 Clearwater Road in Baxter or call 829-5965 extension 4.
