By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
Published February 15, 2024
For some, sustaining homeownership can be a tenuous prospect, especially when advancing age, a debilitating illness or injury, and trying to make it on a fixed income enters the picture.
Things you might have taken care of yourself or been able to pay someone else to do fall by the wayside. Maybe there’s a letter that comes from code enforcement that those things need tending to pronto – a leaky roof, extensive and expensive plumbing, AC and heating problems, or electrical issues that make the home dangerous to live in. Maybe that life-changing illness or injury puts you in a state that makes it impossible to access the bathroom to take a shower.
These are real problems for real people, some of whom have found some remedy through Pasco County’s Owner-Occupied Rehab Program. Similar programs are up and running in counties throughout Florida.
Over the last five years, Pasco’s income-based loan program has assisted some 200 families through funding provided by the State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In the last year about $1 million has been funneled into the county and its cities to help eligible residents make major repairs to their homes, said Marcy Esbjerg, Director of Community Development for Pasco County.
“I consider this program to be a homeless prevention program,” Esbjerg said. “It helps to keep our low-income citizens – our seniors and those who are disabled – in their homes. It helps prevent them from falling into homelessness and unstable housing.”
The program has made a difference in the lives of many. Still more can be helped. But not enough people know about it.
“I think it’s one of those best-kept secrets,” said Esbjerg who is on a mission to get the word out. “We have money to spend and we want to get it out to the people who need help and might qualify.”
Pasco County’s program offers zero-interest loans that average from $50,000 to $100,000 and are distributed according to household income and need. The loans can be deferred until the death of the owner, the home is sold or loses Homestead status.
Some other criteria to be met –
- Eligible applicants must have total household incomes under 120% of the area median income.
- Home value cannot exceed $275,000 which can be found on PascoPA.com.
- The home must be a principal residence.
- (For more details/qualifications click here.)
Eligible repairs often address code violations, such as roof repair or replacement as well as electrical and plumbing upgrades and handicapped modifications to help residents live independently.
That includes a couple in dire need of a handicap-accessible bathroom renovation, a memory that gets to Esbjerg every time she thinks of it.
“The husband was disabled and was not able to shower in his home. They took him outside to shower him off with a hose or they had to rent a hotel room just for that,” she said, recalling another woman the program had helped who had no working air conditioning. “It was stifling in her home. After we got her into the program the contractor immediately put a window AC unit in just to get her relief.”
People are often referred to the program through code enforcement, area agencies, and sometimes loved ones. Others are welcome to apply and should not be intimidated by the application process or assume that they are not eligible, Esbjerg said.
“We have team members here that can help people with their application. Just call the office” she said, adding. “I always like to tell people not to disqualify themselves. Let us review your home to see if it’s eligible.”
- To contact Community Development about the Owner Occupied Program email communitydev@pascocountfl.net or call 727-834-3447.
- For information on all Community Development Programs (Homebuyers, Downpayment Assistance, Tax Payment, Owner Occupied Rehab) go to communitydev@mypasco.net.
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