HRRC helps eligible seniors replace their water heaters

Homeowners often encounter sticker shock when they need a new water heater. Recent safety regulations have greatly increased the price of replacement units, making it especially difficult for senior homeowners, who must manage on a fixed income, to find the necessary funds.

Cleveland Heights seniors can now get help from the Home Repair Resource Center. A new water heater grant has been added to HRRC’s Financial Assistance Program, providing half the cost of materials and installation (up to $500) to eligible homeowners. The remaining cost is paid from the applicant's personal funds or, if other repairs are undertaken, combined into one of HRRC's loan programs.

To qualify for a grant, the applicant must be an owner/occupant of a Cleveland Heights home; owner or co-owner must be at least 62 years of age, or fully and permanently disabled; household income must fall within federal low- and moderate-income guidelines; and property taxes must be current.

According to Wesley Walker, HRRC’s senior repair specialist, "We are really happy to provide this new way to help low-income elderly homeowners remain safe in their homes. [Because] seniors are no longer able to use Cleveland Heights’s $1,000 violation grant for interior repairs, and replacement costs have nearly doubled in recent years, our water heater grant ensures that our most vulnerable citizens will be able to have this necessary household appliance.”

For further information, call 216-381-6100, ext. 22.

Rebecca Stager

Becky Stager has been the HRRC's home repair education coordinator since 1989. She can be reached at 216-381-6100.

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Volume 7, Issue 8, Posted 2:13 PM, 07.31.2014