Recently, SERCAP’s Housing Team is assisted a low-income Senior Couple living in the Town of Halifax, VA, with the Substantial Reconstruction of their home, under the Town’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) project. Following the award of CDBG funds to the Town of Halifax by the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (CDBG), Southside Planning District Commission was selected as the Grant Administrator, and SERCAP was selected as the Housing Rehabilitation Specialist. Together, both organizations are working to support the Town and its residents by completing Housing Rehabilitation for several rundown properties and by tackling blight throughout the community.
As the Housing Rehab Specialist for the project, SERCAP’s Housing Team conducted the Housing Rehabilitation Standard (HRS) inspection of the Couple’s mobile home. Following the inspection, it was clear that there was only one logical course of action, a Substantial Reconstruction. A Substantial Reconstruction is when the existing home is demolished, and a new home is built in its place. This is often considered when the needed repairs for the existing home are so significant, that its more economically viable to build a new home from scratch.
The project was awarded to Harvey’s Enterprise and Sons, for the $100,000.00 total project cost. The Contractor constructed a new 30’ X 26’, two-bedroom home, featuring a covered front entrance porch, back deck, and ADA features throughout the home. Now the Couple once again has an affordable home that is warm, safe, and dry.
In the long term, the positive impact of this project will be the improvement of the clients’ overall Quality of Life, due specifically to the improvement of their Environmental Health and Economic Self-sufficiency. This project will positively impact the clients’ Environmental Health by: 1) providing them with a safe, warm, and dry home, 2) eliminating the financial burden associated with major home repairs, and 3) enhancing their mental and emotional well-being by reducing stress. The project will also positively impact the clients’ Economic Self-sufficiency by improving their home’s property value. Additionally, the project will improve the Economic Self-sufficiency of the community at-large by encouraging proper neighborhood property maintenance and revitalization, and by increasing the current property tax-base for the Town of Halifax.
*SERCAP's Housing Programs are made possible by the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD), through several of their programs. DHCD also provides funding for the CDBG projects across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Additionally, all of SERCAP's Programs and Services in Virginia are leveraged by a Budget Appropriation from the Virginia General Assembly, administered by DHCD.