FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions - Home Repair Assistance Eligibility
To be eligible for assistance your home must:
- Be located in a Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Worth counties.
- Households with a Mason City address are not eligible for the furnace & A/C program. But can apply for any of the other repair programs offered.
- Be owned by you.
- Have an eligible repair need.
- Emergency Projects are limited to true emergencies (for example: furnace or hot water heater not working or handicapped accessibility ramp).
- Be current on house payments
- Be insured (homeowners insurance)
- Home Repair Projects can include:
- Non-functioning or hazardous situation with: plumbing, electrical, furnace, hot water heater, or water/sewer line
- Replacement of deteriorated siding, windows, doors, or roof
- Placement of window screens or sump pump/back flow valve
- Adding handicapped accessibility (ramp, bathroom, door widening)
Financial Limits (maximums) for owner-occupied projects:
- Liquid Cash Asset Limit $25,000
- Household incomes must be below the following limits. To determine your income level, look for your county of residence and go across to the intersecting column for appropriate family size.
|
Household Size |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Cerro Gordo |
$35,700 |
$ 40,800 |
$ 45,900 |
$ 51,000 |
$ 55,080 |
$ 59,160 |
|
Floyd |
$ 35,100 |
$ 40,080 |
$ 45,120 |
$ 50,100 |
$ 54,120 |
$ 58,140 |
|
Franklin |
$ 35,100 |
$ 40,080 |
$ 45,120 |
$ 50,100 |
$ 54,120 |
$ 58,140 |
|
Hancock |
$ 35,700 |
$ 40,800 |
$ 45,900 |
$ 50,940 |
$ 55,020 |
$ 59,100 |
|
Kossuth |
$ 35,100 |
$ 40,080 |
$ 45,120 |
$ 50,100 |
$ 54,120 |
$ 58,140 |
|
Mitchell |
$ 35,100 |
$ 40,080 |
$ 45,120 |
$ 50,100 |
$ 54,120 |
$ 58,140 |
|
Winnebago |
$ 35,100 |
$ 40,080 |
$ 45,120 |
$ 50,100 |
$ 54,120 |
$ 58,140 |
|
Worth |
$ 35,940 |
$ 41,040 |
$ 46,200 |
$ 51,300 |
$55,440 |
$ 59,520 |
- Repayment is dependent upon the funding source, which is determined based on project type and funding availability
- The assistance generally functions like a grant and repayment is not required unless the home is sold (or refinanced with funds paid out) within 5 years. 1/60th of the loan is forgiven each month for 5 years without payment as long as ownership is maintained.
FOR EMERGENCY REPAIR PROJECTS: You complete the application and supply bids from contractors. NIACOG determines eligibility, prepares paperwork, and pays the contractor.
FOR OTHER PROJECTS: Your first step is to complete the application. NIACOG staff will determine your eligibility and inspect the requested repair areas. After that, bids are taken from local contractors and a contractor is hired to complete the job with homeowner approval. Contractors must be registered with the State of Iowa to be awarded a contract.
FOR OTHER PROJECTS: Your first step is to complete the application. NIACOG staff will determine your eligibility and inspect the requested repair areas. After that, bids are taken from local contractors and a contractor is hired to complete the job with homeowner approval. Contractors must be registered with the State of Iowa to be awarded a contract.
These programs are made possible through the generous support of the following contributors:
- State Housing Trust Fund
- Federal Home Loan Bank Of Des Moines
- First Citizens Bank
- First Security Bank
- Clear Lake Bank & Trust
- NSB Bank
- North Iowa Community Credit Union
- Wells Fargo Bank
- Cerro Gordo, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Kossuth, Mitchell, Winnebago, and Worth Counties
- MBT Bank
- United Way of North Central Iowa
- Cent Credit Union
- Principal Financial Group
- USDA Rural Development
The following agencies assist with the staffing, marketing, and/or implementation of the NIACOG Housing Trust Fund programs:
- North Iowa Area Council of Governments (NIACOG)
- North Iowa Community Action Organization
- Elderbridge Agency on Aging
- Cerro Gordo Public Health
