Recently, SERCAP’s Housing Department completed an Indoor Plumbing & Rehabilitation (IPR) collaborative project in Fluvanna County, VA. The client, a low-income disabled gentleman, was referred to SERCAP back in September of 2017 by the Fluvanna Housing Foundation, after he experienced difficulty with his well and septic system. Due to the run-down condition of the house and the client’s qualification as Extremely-low Income under the HUD Income Guidelines, the project qualified as a Substantial Reconstruction. However, the cost estimates for the project far exceeded the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development’s (DHCD) cost limits for a Substantial Reconstruction under the IPR Program.
Fortunately, SERCAP’s Housing Department was able to work with the agency’s Loan Fund to secure a forgivable Project ReInvest Loan of $10,500.00 through FAHE, the Essential & Critical Needs Program to secure a Grant of $2,500.00, and was able to access additional agency funds in order to pull together the total $108,618.98 needed to complete the project. The client moved into his new home at the beginning of September 2018, nearly a year after he first contacted SERCAP, and is very satisfied with his new home. However, this is just one example of how stagnant program cost limits and increasing construction costs are making it more and more difficult to fund IPR Projects and eradicate indoor plumbing issues in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Without SERCAP’s Housing Rehabilitation Program, and other similar services, many low-income individuals and communities would be forced to go without such necessities as safe and affordable housing, indoor plumbing, reliable access to clean drinking water, water/wastewater infrastructure solutions, other community development and infrastructure needs, and more. It is important to remember that even in the US in the 21st Century; there are those who do not have reliable access to clean, safe drinking water, environmentally sound septic facilities, and affordable housing. In order to help SERCAP continue to provide assistance to both the individuals and communities in need, please consider making a donation to SERCAP’s Water Life! Fund!
Donate Today: https://sercap.networkforgood.com/projects/27202-sercap-s-water-is-life-fund (opens new window).
*SERCAP’s Housing Program is primarily made possible through the Virginia Department of Housing & Community Development’s (DHCD) Indoor Plumbing & Rehabilitation (IPR) Program, through County Funds (Budget Appropriations) from counties across the Commonwealth of Virginia, and through Program Income Funds from the IPR Program. Additionally, all of SERCAP’s programs in Virginia are leveraged by support from the Virginia Budget Appropriation, granted by the Virginia General Assembly and administered by DHCD.