Wilbraham gains additional tornado relief fundingDate: 7/2/2012 July 2, 2012
By Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.com
GREATER SPRINGFIELD — The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) has announced the release of $360,000 in additional funding through the Tornado Response Home Rehabilitation Program for homeowners still recovering from the June 1, 2011 tornado.
Owner-occupied private properties in the communities of Agawam, Brimfield, Monson, Southbridge, Springfield, Sturbridge, Westfield, West Springfield, and Wilbraham may be eligible for new monies made available through a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, which will be dispensed by the PVPC.
"It's up to $7,500 in assistance for owner occupants and in certain special situations, an additional $1,500 waiver can be given," James Mazik, deputy director for operations, chief procurement officer and community development section manager for the PVPC, told Reminder Publications.
Mazik explained that requests for funding would be sorted by need into four different categories, labeled Priority One through Priority Four.
Priority One is reserved for those who are still unable to get back into their homes, while Priority Two is for those who have been able to return to their homes, but need extra funds to eliminate a health or safety issue in the primary dwelling. Priority Three is for those who wish to alleviate safety issues pertaining to trees, debris or out buildings, such as garages or sheds, and Priority Four is for all other inquiries.
Mazik also said that the program is based on need.
"The idea is that more of the money goes to those with less means with which to fix their properties," he said. "The monies are structured so that 75 percent of the funds must be given to those whose gross income is less than 80 percent of the median income of the area. The other 25 percent can go to those whose income is 80 percent to 100 percent of the median income."
For example, Mazik explained, a four-person household with a gross income of $65,000 or less would qualify as one with less than 80 percent of the median income of the area.
He also said that the state had indicated that more money may be made available and that money would not be income-restricted, however, he did not know if that money would come through as of press time.
Those interested in taking advantage of this program should contact Laurel Foley-Beauchesne at the PVPC, located at 60 Congress Street, Springfield. She can be reached by phone at 781-6045 or by email at lfoley-beauchesne@pvpc.org.
Wilbraham Board of Selectmen Chair Robert Boilard praised the PVPC and the state for making more money available to homeowners.
"When [Gov. Deval Patrick] recently announced that $4 million dollars was available for tornado clean up and replanting of trees on public property, there was confusion that some of the monies would be offered to homeowners with private property. However, this is not the case," he said. "The good news is that the Tornado Response Home Rehabilitation Program does offer funding to homeowners who very much need the financial assistance for rebuilding and clean up of their properties after suffering a terrible loss from the tornado's devastation.
"Whereas so many Wilbraham residents' properties were affected by the destruction of the tornado, the Board of Selectmen wanted to make sure that this opportunity was available for all eligible Wilbraham homeowners to participate in. For this reason, applications for this program can be found at various town locations," he added.
All applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on July 18 in order to be considered.
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