INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING - ONTARIO RENOVATES INFORMATION FOR HOMEOWNER OR RENTER HOUSEHOLDS ACCESSIBILITY REPAIR GRANTS The Investment in Affordable Housing for Ontario (IAH) Ontario Renovates Component provides financial assistance for low to moderate income homeowner or renter households to increase accessibility of their unit through modifications and adaptations. Homeowner/Renter Eligibility Criteria To be eligible for IAH Ontario Renovates financial assistance the homeowner/renter must meet the following criteria (as applicable): Combined gross household income at or below $90 500.00* Liquid assets at or below $22 750.00 Own a home or rent a unit that is their sole and principal residence Be a minimum 18 years of age Unit Eligibility Criteria Units eligible under the IAH Ontario Renovates program must meet the following criteria: The value of the home must be at or below $455,000.00 Property taxes and mortgage payments must be up-to-date Insurance coverage must be in place for the home Eligible Repairs Eligible repairs for an IAH Ontario Renovates Accessibility Grant may include the modifications to increase accessibility related to housing and reasonably related to the occupant s disability including: Ramps Handrails Chair and Bath Lifts Height Adjustments to Countertops Cues for doorbells/fire alarms Other eligible costs may include labour and applicable taxes, building permits, legal, appraisal and inspection fees, certificates, drawings, specifications and any other costs that the County of Dufferin deems reasonable. Energy Efficiency IAH Ontario Renovates strongly encourages the use of energy-saving products or systems for the required repairs to housing.
Application Process Applicants for IAH Ontario Renovates financial assistance must provide the following (as applicable): A completed and signed IAH Ontario Renovates Application form Two (2) pieces of photo identification for the homeowner(s)/renter(s) A copy of your most recent complete income tax return or the Notice of Assessment 30 days of recent bank activity Secondary proof of income (letter from employer, pay stubs, CPP cheque stub/direct deposit verification, etc.) A recent house value assessment Proof of payment of current year property taxes and mortgage payments are up-to-date Proof of insurance coverage Applicant must include a minimum of two (2) written estimates of costs for required repairs Written approval from the landlord must be provided.(if applicable) Approval Process Homeowners/renters who meet initial eligibility will have a unit inspection scheduled by the County of Dufferin within two (2) weeks of complete application submission including all required documents. The County of Dufferin reviews the repairs based on the IAH Ontario Renovates Program Guidelines. If approved, the homeowners/renters then enter into a Letter of Agreement with the County of Dufferin. Repairs must commence within 120 days of project approval. Copies of all financial invoices must be submitted to the County of Dufferin for reporting and audit purposes. Conditions for Funding Funding for accessibility repairs/upgrades is in the form of a grant up to a maximum of $5,000 and does not require repayment. Payment Process The County of Dufferin will monitor the progress of the repairs and provide up to 50% of the approved estimated funding to the homeowner/renter or contractor based on project milestones determined by the County of Dufferin When the repairs are complete, a final inspection will be completed by the County of Dufferin The County of Dufferin will provide final payment once they are satisfied with the repair completion and invoice copies have been provided by the homeowner/renter to the County For more information, please contact Juli Griffin at the County of Dufferin Community Services, 30 Centre St. Orangeville, Ontario (519) 941-6991 ext 2106 * Gross household income at or below Annual Maximum Household Income Level per Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Subject to Change. Page 2 of 8
Ontario Renovates Component Application Package The County of Dufferin Ontario Renovates Component provides financial assistance for low to moderate income homeowner or renter households to increase accessibility of their unit through modifications and adaptations. In this package you will find: IAH Ontario Renovates Accessibility Repair Grant application Form Guide For Homeowners/Renters IAH - Ontario Renovates Information For Homeowner Or Renter Households Accessibility Repair Grants The following process should be followed by applicants to qualify for the program: Review IAH - Ontario Renovates Information For Homeowner Or Renter Households Accessibility Repair Grants to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. Review the Guide for Homeowners/Renters to ensure you understand the process. Complete the Accessibility Repair Grant Application Form and submit it to The County of Dufferin with the necessary supporting documentation: o Two (2) pieces of photo identification for each applicant. o A copy of the most recent year s complete income tax return with Notice of Assessment for each applicant. o Secondary proof of income. (e.g. letter from employer, pay stubs, CPP cheque stub, direct deposit verification, etc.) o 30 days of current bank activity. o Proof of up-to-date payments for property tax and mortgage payments. o Proof of Insurance coverage for the home. o Verification of value of home. (MPAC assessed value, listing value from real estate agent, real estate appraisal) (for homeowners) o Copy of lease and a letter of approval from the landlord. (for renters) o Two written estimates from contractors for the required repairs. o A copy of building permits if required. Approval will be determined and you will be contacted in a timely manner of the result. If you have any questions at any time during the process, please do not hesitate to contact: Juli Griffin 519-941-6991 ext. 2106 Page 3 of 8
Investment in Affordable Housing Ontario Renovates Guide for Homeowners or Renters # Steps for Accessibility Repair Grant 1 Submit an IAH Ontario Renovates application indicating types of accessibility repairs/upgrades required. Application forms are available from the County of Dufferin. The application must include necessary documentation such as photo identification, income verification, and a recent house value assessment or lease. Written approval for 2 the required repairs must be received from the landlord for a renter household. A minimum of two written estimates for the required repairs must be submitted with application. Any required permit fees can be submitted as well. 3 County of Dufferin staff reviews applications. County of Dufferin schedules inspection of unit to assess the repairs required, estimated 4 cost and timelines to complete repairs. County of Dufferin Conditionally Approves the project based on IAH program 5 Guidelines. The homeowner/renter enters into a Letter of Agreement with the County of Dufferin that outlines the scope of work, funding commitment, and roles and responsibilities of the 6 homeowner/renter and the County of Dufferin. The funding from the County of Dufferin will be in the form of a grant, not to exceed a maximum of $5,000. 7 The repairs must start within 120 days of approval. 8 9 10 11 12 Homeowners/renters must ensure copies of all required permits are provided to the County of Dufferin. County of Dufferin monitors the progress of the repairs and provides up to 50% of funding to homeowner/renter or contractor based on project milestones. Homeowner/renter reports to the County of Dufferin upon the completion of repairs. A final inspection of unit is performed by the County of Dufferin. Copies of all financial invoices pertaining to the completed repair work must be submitted to the County for reporting and audit purposes. County of Dufferin will provide the remaining funds once the completion of repairs is confirmed from final inspection and actual repair amounts have been provided. Page 4 of 8
Investment in Affordable Housing Ontario Renovates Accessibility Repair Grant Application Form PART A - SERVICE MANAGER INFORMATION (to be filled out by the County of Dufferin) A.1 Service Manager The Corporation of the County of Dufferin Contact Name Position Telephone No. (incl. Area code and Ext.) 519-941-6991 Ext. E-mail Address Date Submitted to Ministry (yyyy-mm-dd) Fax No. (incl. Area code) 519-941-0271 Most recent update (yyyy-mm-dd) PART B - DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT B.1 Project Detail Applicant s Name Is applicant the owner of the project address? Yes No Project Address Number Street Unit/Suite/P.O. Box City/Town Province Postal Code Telephone # (incl. Area code and Ext.) Fax # (incl. Area code) E-mail Address Municipal Electoral District Provincial Electoral District Federal Electoral District Page 5 of 8
Owner/Landlord Name and Address (If applicant does not own the project address) Owner s Name Number Street Unit/Suite/P.O. Box City/Town Province Postal Code B.2 Project Information Has this project received previous Government funding? (i.e., IAH/RRAP/AHP) If Yes, Provide the Project Reference number and the date it was approved: Property Description: Apartment Semi-Detached Detached Age of House: Unit Size (m2): Insurance Payments up to date? Yes No Mortgage Payments up to date? Yes No Approx Value of House: Number of Bedrooms: Townhouse /Row house Property Tax up to date? Yes No Other B.3 Applicant Information Household Income: $ Household Type: Single Family Congregate Not Specified Target Group: Aboriginal Persons with Disabilities New Immigrant Senior Victim of Domestic Violence Working Poor Resident of a Remote Community Other: Please Specify B.4 Scope of Work Check all that apply: Electrical Fire Safety Heating Plumbing Persons with Mental Illness Septic/Well Water/Well Drilling Other Please Specify: Structural Overcrowded Accessibility Page 6 of 8
APPLICANT DECLARATION I/we hereby confirm that I/we are the owners of the house and property located at [insert address] and that no other person is an owner. OR I/we hereby confirm that I/we have received written permission from the owner of the property located at [insert address] to complete the required repairs. I/we hereby grant permission to the Corporation of the County of Dufferin to make any necessary inquiries to verify my/our income, assets, liabilities and credit information. I/we hereby acknowledge that if my/our funding application is accepted it will not apply to work completed prior to [insert date of signing]. I/we hereby acknowledge that if my/our funding application is accepted I/we cannot claim the repairs for any Provincial tax rebate programs. I/we hereby certify that all information contained in this application, including income, is true and complete in every respect. I/we acknowledge that in the event that a false declaration is knowingly made, the Corporation of the County of Dufferin shall have the right to cancel the approval and recover any paid funds. Print Name: Signature: Date: Print Name: Signature: Date: Personal information contained in this form or any attachments hereto is collected by the Corporation of the County of Dufferin for the purpose of determining initial and ongoing eligibility for Ontario Renovates Funding Investment in Affordable Housing for Ontario in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Any questions regarding the collection or release of this information should be directed to: The Clerk s Office, County of Dufferin, 55 Zina Street, Orangeville, Ontario L9W 1E5 Page 7 of 8
PART C PROJECT FINANCING (To be completed after Conditional Approval) C.1 IAH Project Costs (Original Estimates) Soft Costs: $ (legal, architecture, engineering, taxes, fees, etc.) Accessibility Repair Costs: $ (please specify type of repair in section B.4) Non-Accessibility Repair Costs: $ (labour, construction material, equipment, etc.) Total IAH Construction Costs: $ C.2 Project Contributions from Others (Original Estimates) Homeowner / Landlord: $ Government Grants / Loans / Contribution: $ Please Specify: Other: $ Please Specify: Total Project Contributions: $ C.3 Project Financing Total IAH Construction Costs: $ Accessibility Grant: $ Total Project Contributions: $ Total Project Financing: $ (Cannot exceed $5,000 and cannot exceed Accessibility Repair Costs in C.1) PART D PROJECT MILESTONES D.1 Development Schedule Milestone *Building Permits Repair Start Repair Completion D.2 Security *Security Letter of Agreement (Home Repair Only) N/A N/A Initial Estimate Date (yyyy-mm-dd) * Please attach copies of any Building Permits to the application Actual Date (yyyy-mm-dd) * Please attach copies to the application Page 8 of 8