State, federal grants offered for home work

TROY, N.Y. >> The Troy Rehabilitation & Improvement Program and Rensselaer County

Housing Resources will offer grant funding this springs to assist local residents with obtaining and maintaining homes.

TRIP & RCHR have been awarded money from two government programs, the New York State HOME and federal Community Development Block Grant programs, through Rensselaer County to provide grants that can be used as down-pay- ment assistance for first-time homebuyers or rehabilitation projects for current homeowners.

The NYS HOME Program assists income- eligible homeowners with home maintenance, including health and safety repairs, roof replacement, structural, electrical, plumbing and heating system repairs or replacements and energy efficiency measures.

The federal Housing Improvement Program (for Troy residents) and the Small Cities Grant Program (for county residents outside Troy) assist income- eligible, first-time homebuyers with grants to be used for down-payment or closing costs.

To qualify, applicants must be income- eligible and current on their mortgage, property taxes and homeowners insurance at the time of application.

For more information about these grants or other homeowner programs, visit www.triponline.org or call the TRIP & RCHR NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center at 690- 0020.