The director of local organization Habitat for Humanity is frustrated with the city’s handling of a funding change that led to the disruption of a home repair program.
Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Flint Hills announced this week that it is pausing its Home Repair program in Manhattan. The Home Repair program helps low-income “workforce” residents finance necessary home improvements.
This change is a result of the Manhattan City Council’s suspension of the Community Development Block Grant housing rehabilitation program, which meant that the Habitat program no longer received city funds.
“Having worked with families in our community over the past three years who rely on these critical funds for ramps, HVAC, roof repairs and other life-saving repairs, I understand the importance of these federal funds in the lives of my neighbors and am committed to finding a new solution for affordable home repair services for the working families in our community,” said Josh Brewer, Habitat’s executive director, in a statement.
He said the city government did not publicly announce the change before firing the program’s chief grant administrator and CDBG’s housing rehabilitation inspector, and officials had not discussed the program’s future.
“This program provides money to homeowners in our community that gives them access to $25,000 for essential repairs to their homes,” Brewer told KMAN on Thursday. “And in return, the homeowner must promise to stay in their home for 10 years and the loan will be repaid.”
“We are committed to finding a path forward and ensuring support for our community does not wane,” said Thomas Weeks, Habitat’s board chair, in a statement. “We are aware of the city’s budgetary challenges, but the lack of communication and abrupt pause in funding will place undue stress on those we serve. We believe safe and affordable housing deserves a higher priority and are disappointed in the message the city administration is sending to our community.”
The program supported 227 homeowners between 1999 and 2016.
Brewer said there will continue to be funding from alternative sources for households earning less than 50 percent of the area median income until the funds are expected to run out at the end of the calendar year.
