Request for Public Comments

Clinch-Powell RC&D Council is applying for the USDA Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant program. If awarded, this program will provide Clinch-Powell with grant funds that would be used in the broader Lakeway area and surrounding counties to conduct health and safety home repairs for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low- to very low-income households. The public is encouraged to review and submit comments regarding the full proposed statement of activities found at below.

Comments may be sent to: info@clinchpowell.net, 7995 Rutledge Pike, Rutledge, TN 37861, or by phone, 865-828-5927.

The deadline for submitting comments and/or letters of support is July 26th.

Rural Housing Service (RHS) | Housing Preservation Grant (HPG)

Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA): 10.433 | Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-RD-HCFP-HPG-2024

STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE CLINCH-POWELL HOMEOWNER HOME REPAIR PROGRAM

1. Homeowner assistance program of home repairs and rehabilitation of unsafe or unsanitary conditions including repairing roofing, heat/air systems, water and waste disposal, windows, insulation, exterior doors, porches and stoops (if unsafe), making a home handicap accessible and alleviating overcrowding at an average cost of $8,000.00 per project.
2. The process for selecting program participants will be by submission date of full application and target service to distressed communities. Each application will be reviewed and prioritized based on completeness, eligibility, severity of need, income-based qualifying factors and location. Clinch-Powell will then work closely with approved applicants and local contractors to perform the work at market prices. Only appropriately licensed and insured contractors will be used depending on the work to be done.
3. As part of the initial review process, Clinch-Powell staff will follow the appropriate multi-tier action environmental compliance guidelines. The agency will submit proper documentation of the multi-tier environmental compliance to RHS, and retain said documentation in the applicants file.
4. Clinch-Powell will adhere to the Rural Development standards for existing dwellings and applicable local codes.
5. The program will be completed within twelve months of the time it begins.
6. Existing experienced staff will work with homeowners to procure contractors to do the home repair work and complete the program in an effective manner.
7. The estimated number of very low – low-income households that the program will assist is 18 – 20.
8. The geographical areas to be served by this program include the RD eligible rural areas of Bledsoe, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Grainger, Jefferson, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Scott, Union, White. All counties are located in East Tennessee. Bledsoe, Cocke, Hancock and Scott counties are all classified a persistent poverty, distressed counties.
9. The estimated federal budget is $200,000.
10. The indirect cost rate is 15%.
11. The accounting system to track the expenditures of this program is accurate and in accordance with GAAP standards. Clinch-Powell uses Quickbooks Pro Plus 2022 which is an accrual based accounting system.
12. Clinch-Powell utilizes internal project tracking methods to record beneficiary demographics, and monitors project work progress and accrued expenditures to maintain program efficiency and compliance with program guidelines, and reported quarterly.
13. Clinch-Powell has partial funding secured for their existing home repair pipeline of applicants and by bringing in partners Appalachian Outreach and Of One Accord, can capture in-kind labor of work groups. Cumulatively, $20,000 in additional home repair funds will be leveraged on the whole project. Leveraged funds will be available on some home repair activities through the Carol M. Peterson Home Repair program through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati. Clinch-Powell has received at least $20,000 every year that we have applied and believe we will continue to receive at least this much.
14. In general, this is not an income-producing program. Clinch-Powell will charge an application and processing fee of $15.00 to home repair applicants who are not very low income of. This would only be applicable to applicants in the 60-80% AMI range. This fee is our standard to determine credit and run down documents to complete applications before they can be considered HPG viable. Repair costs will be forgivable as long as the homeowner lives in the house for 3 years and secured by a Deed of Trust.
15. Clinch-Powell will plan for disposition of any security instruments held by us as a result of its HPG activities in the event of our loss of legal status. Distribution of assets in case of dissolution is according to IRS rules and outlined in the organization charter and articles of incorporation.
16. Clinch-Powell received multiple letters of support from local, state and federal political leaders and will foster the support to ensure the HPG program is implemented effectively and equitably across the region.
17. Clinch-Powell posted a public notice on both their website and in the local regional newspaper on July 10th, 2024. Region-wide outreach to promote the program will be provided to ensure all communities in the service area are aware of the HPG program funding and provided with the ability to apply for services. Direct marketing will be focused on the leadership in the persistent poverty counties with an emphasis on the collaboration with established community organizations throughout the region including Hamblen County NAACP Chapter, Black in Appalachia and the Morristown Taskforce on Diversity. These collaborations will provide opportunity for targeted marketing and outreach to historically underserved communities within Clinch-Powell’s service area. The application form will be provided and will include the statement, “This is an equal opportunity program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal Law.” Clinch-Powell will meet the Fair Housing requirements and the nondiscrimination requirements of Title VI of the Civil rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.