Housing Assistance
The following information is provided for homeowners in need of programs available for continued maintenance, safety of housing/residents with limited means to retain the community’s long-term residents and diversity.
If you should have questions about any of the enclosed programs, please call the Chester County Department of Community Development, which administers these programs at (610) 344-6900.
Housing Rehabilitation Program
The purpose of the Housing Rehabilitation Program is help low to moderate-income homeowners correct local code violations in their homes. Violations may include, but are not limited to, structural, plumbing, heating, and electrical problems. The eligible applicant must be the owner of the home and the household’s annual gross income must not exceed 80% of the area median income. The maximum amount of funding per single family dwelling is $25,000.
For more information, please contact:
Housing Partnership of Chester County
41 West Lancaster Avenue
Downingtown, PA 19335
(610) 518-1522
Senior Citizen Home Maintenance Program
The Home Maintenance Program provides assistance to homeowners who are age 65 or older with moderate home repairs and modifications such as roof, minor plumbing, flooring repairs, and general repairs that may improve the physical functioning of the elderly individual(s). The eligible applicant must be the owner of the home and the household’s annual gross income must not exceed 50% of the area median income. The maximum amount of funding per single family dwelling unit is $4,500.
For more information or to obtain an application, please contact:
Housing Partnership of Chester County
41 West Lancaster Avenue
Downingtown, PA 19335
(610) 518-1522
Credit Counseling Program
The Credit Counseling Program provides, free of charge, counseling to people who are having credit problems. Program staff work with applicants to remedy and prevent future credit problems, develop a household budget and set a time frame in which the results would be achieved. Regular meetings are scheduled to ensure all steps are being followed and progress is being made.
For further information, please contact:
Housing Partnership of Chester County
41 W. Lancaster Ave.
Downingtown, PA 19335
maria-hpcc@verizon.net
Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program
The Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (H.E.M.A.P.) provides mortgage assistance for Pennsylvania families in danger of losing their home to foreclosure. The program was created by Act 91 of 1983, and is the only one of its kind in the nation. It helps homeowners who, through no fault of their own, are financially unable to make their mortgage payments regardless of income.
Program participants receive loans to help bring delinquent payments current, and may be eligible for continuing payment assistance for as long as 24 months. Under the program, mortgage payments are made directly to lenders on the homeowner’s behalf.
For further information, please contact:
Housing Partnership of Chester County
41 W. Lancaster Ave.
Downingtown, PA 19335
(610) 518-1522
maria-hpcc@earthlink.net
Home Repair Program
Good Works, Inc. and Good Neighbors Inc., non-profit Christian ministries, use DCD funding to supplement volunteer efforts to make home repairs for homeowners who cannot afford to pay for the repairs themselves. Eligible homeowner applicants must be the owner of the home and the household’s annual gross income must not exceed 150-175% of the poverty level. The estimated cost of repairs is generally under $5,000 per household served.
For more information, please contact:
Good Works, Inc.
544 East Lincoln Highway
Coatesville, PA 19320
(610) 383-6311
Good Neighbors, Inc./Koinonia Christian Ministries
205 East State Street
Kennett Square, PA 19348
(610) 444-1860
Weatherization Assistance
If your house or apartment is cold and drafty because of poor insulation and a creaky, old furnace, but you cannot afford to make repairs, there is help available through the Weatherization Assistance Program. The eligible applicant’s household annual gross income must not exceed 150% of the poverty level. Eligible households can benefit from a high-tech computerized assessment of energy use and air leakage. Using the results of the assessment, a trained crew will visit the house to tune up the furnace, install energy saving insulation, weather stripping, and pipe wrap as needed. This is a free service.
For more information, please contact:
Community Action Agency of Delaware County, Inc.
94 Jansen Ave.
Essington, PA 19029
(610) 521-8770
First-Time Homebuyers’ Program
This program provides education in addition to direct financial assistance to low- and moderate-income homebuyers, whose income does not exceed 80% of the area median income. Financial counseling and homeownership training are prerequisites to receiving down payment and closing cost assistance.
For more information, please contact:
Housing Partnership of Chester County
41 West Lancaster Avenue
Downingtown, PA 19335
(610) 518-1522