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By Carlton Fletcher

ALBANY — About 50 Dougherty County residents, some curious and some hopeful, came to a public meeting at the Albany-Dougherty Government Center Thursday evening to learn more about a program that could provide up to $49,000 in grant money to rehab their homes.

Senior Planner Barbara Reddick and Grants Administrator Brenda Wade, both with the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, used the meeting to tell Dougherty homeowners about the Department of Community Affairs-funded Community Home Investment Program. The Regional Commission helped county officials apply for CHIP grant funding, which was approved by the DCA.

The county’s share of funding, which will be used to rehabilitate substandard housing, is $300,000.

“The county worked with the Regional Commission in applying for the grant funding, and we thought the best use of the funds we’ll receive is to provide home improvements in the unincorporated and other targeted areas of our community,” District 6 County Commissioner Anthony Jones said at the Thursday-evening meeting. “Our focus is on high-poverty areas of the community.”

Reddick and Wade laid out the specific ground rules for fund eligibility, noting that while $49,000 is the limit for which any one homeowner can apply, additional funds could be supplied if issues needing attention are discovered during the construction process.

“The first thing you must note is that these grants will only be given to homeowners in the targeted areas,” Wade said, indicating a list that included 221 street names. “If your address is not on one of these streets, you are not eligible.”

A few in the audience took a moment to peruse the list of streets, then walked out of the Government Center.

“There are income guidelines, and you must prove ownership of your home,” Wade continued. “You must also show that you’re up to date on property taxes and on insurance.

“Once we’ve gotten all of that information from applicants, the grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Reddick said the CHIP funding will be stretched as far as possible, but the goal is to rehab at least six houses with the county’s $300,000 in funding.

“The need is very great around this region,” the senior planner said. “Our funds are limited, but our goal is to help those of you who qualify to have safe, affordable, decent housing.”

Reddick also noted that grant recipients’ financial obligation is eliminated after they stay in the rehabbed home for a five-year period.

“Once you’ve been in the structure five years after the construction is completed, your debt is completely forgiven,” she told the audience. “If you don’t stay five years, you’ll have to pay back the prorated amount of the grant based on how long you stayed in the house.”

Information provided by the facilitators shows that household income limits for the CHIP program are $25,400 for a single-person household, $29,000 for a couple, $32,650 for three people, $36,250 for four people, $39,150 for five, $42,050 for six, $44,950 for seven and $47,850 for eight.

Proof of income is also a requirement.

Those interested in obtaining a CHIP application may contact Wade at (229) 522-3552, extension 1606. All completed applications must be hand-delivered to the Dougherty County Board of Commissioners’ office in Room 540 of the Government Center at 222 Pine Ave.

For additional information, contact Assistant County Administrator Mike McCoy or County Clerk Jawahn Ware at (229) 431-2121.