Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity gets $375K housing grant
Published: Thu, 11/03/22
Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity gets $375K housing grant
Angelina Davis, 7, nails the numbers on her new home in August 2021 during a Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity home dedication ceremony in Longview.Michael
Cavazos/News-Journal File Photo
Longview News-Journal
Special to the News-Journal
Northeast Texas Habitat for Humanity has received a federal grant for $375,000 to improve rural homes in Gregg, Harrison and Upshur counties.
Habitat will focus on correcting health and safety hazards in the homes of lower-income elderly residents, persons with disabilities and military veterans in rural areas, according to a statement from the nonprofit organization.
According to Linda Brasch, critical repair administrator with NET Habitat, “Our rural applicants are generally more isolated and find fewer services available to them. Our goal is to find those rural applicants and offer repairs to assist them to maintain a healthy, safe home.
“This grant provides funds to help 15 families who qualify for the program. In prior years we have installed new roofs, done bathroom conversions to decrease the risk of falling in a tub, replaced floors that are a tripping hazard, and repaired heating and air conditioning along with plumbing needs,” Brasch said. “These repairs make a huge difference in our customers’ quality and sense of security.”
NET Habitat has repaired more than 700 homes across its three-county area since starting its critical repair program in 2013. The Housing Preservation Grant grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide up to 15 repairs beginning this month.
“To truly move the needle on housing poverty, we must focus on revitalizing rural areas where a scarcity of social services exists. (The U.S. Department of Agriculture) and NE Texas Habitat have invested $1.1 million in rural areas through our partnership to create safer and healthy homes for rural East Texans since 2018,” said NET Habitat CEO LaJuan Gordon. “We work together to ensure that these homes are safe, comfortable and accessible now and in the future. The USDA Home Preservation Program partnership is the greatest supporter of our work to alleviate untenable housing in rural Northeast Texas.”
NET Habitat’s home repair program also benefits a community of any size by strengthening its residents, preserving and increasing property values and enhancing community livability over time, according to the organization.
To apply for home repair assistance, contribute, or volunteer, contact the organization at info@netxhabitat.org or (903) 236-0900.
Habitat assists in the areas of homeownership, home repair and home maintenance and operates a ReStore in Longview.
To learn more, visit www.netxhabitat.org .