Federal government to provide an additional
$1.9 million in funding for
Provincial Housing Repair Program
The federal government has announced that it will provide the province
with an additional $1.9 million in funding to the Provincial Home
Repair
Program (PHRP) which addresses households with the greatest home repair
needs. The minister responsible for housing, Honourable Lloyd Matthews,
and Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) were informed
earlier today that the federal government has committed $50 million
nationally
to housing repair programs.
Commenting on the federal announcement, Minister Matthews
said: "This
is good news indeed. The demand for housing repair assistance in the
province
is substantial. This extra funding will allow us to assist
approximately
250 individuals, depending on the type of repairs required. This will
be
in addition to the 800 families that we will be able to help under this
year's Provincial Home Repair Program (PHRP). It is very encouraging to
know that the federal government is still committed to supporting
housing
programs where possible", Mr. Matthews added.
To date, a total of $6 million dollars has been committed
under the
PHRP with approximately 800 households having been or are in the
process
of being served.
Minister Matthews used the opportunity to announce that an
accelerated
review of the current waiting list for the PHRP will be undertaken to
ensure
that the province is dealing with only those individuals with homes
which
are still actively in need of repairs. The program will continue to
serve
individuals from the current list on a "first-come, first-served"
basis,
while striving to address those who are most in need. Urgent cases with
special needs will also continue to be addressed on an exceptional
basis.
The current waiting list already demonstrates an adequate demand for
additional
funding. The new money will further aid those on the current waiting
list
who are in need of home repairs.
As in the past, NLHC will accept referrals from the
Departments of Health
and Community Services, Human Resources and Employment (DHRE), any MHAs
or other interested groups. Approval of the referrals will be based on
an assessment which will be completed by NLHC officials.
With the signing of the Social Housing Agreement,
responsibility for
housing programs has been assumed by the provincial government, and
consequently
NLHC has been able to redirect federal funding from the former
Residential
Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) into the new PHRP. This
program contained modifications to the existing RRAP guidelines that
allowed
the corporation to be more responsive and flexible in meeting the
housing
needs of the people of this province.
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For further information, contact:
Jenny Bowring, Corporate Communications,
NLHC
Telephone: (709) 724-3055
E-mail: releases@nlhc.nf.ca
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