Some veterans will get their homes repaired under program
(Harrisburg) —At least 10 veterans in the Harrisburg area will get much-needed repairs to their homes.
The Greater Harrisburg Habitat of Humanity won a grant to pay for the work, along with 19 other cities in the nation.
The $150,000 will go towards so-called critical repairs in veteran’s homes – leaky roofs, electrical issues, or accessibility problems.
Each house could receive up to $15,000 in repairs, on top of the help the homeowners are expected to provide.
“Think about the systems that couldn’t work in the home. We are talking about critical needs, where the families would either have to leave or become homeless.”
Harrisburg Habitat’s Executive Director Eve Wachhaus says these aren’t cosmetic changes — they’re about making the home more functional for veterans.
“But safety is an even more important concern, if some of the things we’re talking about could be large code violations, which ultimately can lead to the house being condemned and the family’s becoming homeless,” says Wachhaus.
The project, known as the Repair Corps Program, just barely dents the demand in the veterans community, though.
Wachhaus says more than 22,000 vets in the region have some type of need.
She says six of the houses have already been picked, and four more families will soon be selected. The work is expected to begin in March, and continue throughout 2014.
The program is aimed at low and middle income families, and is funded through the Home Depot Foundation.
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