NCRA Home Access Grants

I. Scope and Purpose

1. The Home Access Grant provides grant funds to cover the cost of removing barriers and improving access and safety in housing occupied by persons with physical disabilities.
2. Renters and property owners are eligible.

II. Basic Criteria for the Home Access Grant

To obtain a Home Access Grant, a person must submit an application and meet each of the following basic criteria:

1. The applicant must be a US citizen, a US non-citizen national or a qualified alien.
2. The applicant must have a documented physical disability. (Parents or guardians apply on behalf of an applicant under 18.)
3. The property must be located within the North Clackamas Revitalization Area (NCRA), and must require modification for the safety or accessibility of a resident.
4. The applicant must reside in the property. If the applicant cannot reside in the unit until the modifications are complete, the applicant must provide proof that he or she will move into the property within 30 days of completion of the County- funded work.
5. If the applicant is not the property owner, the owner must agree to the proposed work and agree to leave the improvement(s) in place and maintain them for the benefit of the applicant.
6. In situations where there is common ownership, such as condominium, the property owner must provide written approval from the Homeowners Association of all exterior work list items prior to grant approval.

III. Eligible Dwellings

1. All dwelling units are eligible except for manufactured homes and mobile homes in parks or where the owner does not have title to the lot where the home is located.
   1. Residential trailers are only eligible if being used as a permitted temporary dwelling for care.
2. Recreational vehicles are not eligible.

IV. Income Limits

1. To qualify for a Home Access Grant, the beneficiary's total household annual gross family income projected for the next 12 months must be at or below 100 percent of the current area median income as determined by HUD.

V. Home Access Grant Amount

1. Maximum Grant Amount. The maximum amount of a Home Access Grant may not exceed the lower of:
   1. The actual cost of rehabilitation, or $5,000.

VI. Examples of Improvements

Eligible modifications include those that improve:

1. Access to and within the dwelling such as wheelchair ramps, handrails and widened doorways;
2. The person's ability to use household fixtures and equipment such as raised toilets and grab bars in bathrooms or accessibility improvements in kitchens; and
3. The safety of the hearing or sight impaired.
4. For home access grants, the cost of eligible work items for accessibility upgrades such as;
   1. 1. Wheelchair ramps, handrails and widened doorways.
   2. 2. Bathroom accessibility improvements such as raised toilets and grab bars.
   3. 3. Kitchen accessibility improvements.
   4. 4. Other accessibility improvements as approved by the Agency.

VII. Home Access Grant Process

1. Application. The person with disabilities or their representative contacts the Community Development Division to apply for a Home Access Grant. The disabled person is both the applicant and the beneficiary of the grant, except in cases where the disabled person is a minor. If the applicant is not the property owner, the grant agreement will be between the County, the applicant and the property owner. The property owner must agree to the proposed modifications and must sign the grant agreement.
2. Preliminary Eligibility. The applicant must provide the County with the necessary information to determine eligibility. The application contains a release of information. If the applicant has a case manager, the County Rehab Advisor assigned to the project will contact the case manager to obtain information about the client's needs and income. Once eligibility has been determined, the applicant will be informed in writing of the maximum grant amount available.
3. Initial Inspection. The Rehab Advisor will contact the applicant to arrange for an initial property inspection. The Rehab Advisor will discuss the program and conduct an inspection of the property to assess needed modifications.
4. Work list Conference. The Rehab Advisor will prepare the specifications and bid packets for the work and send it to the property owner for review and approval. The bid packet contains a consent form that must be signed by the property owner.
5. Selection of Contractors to Bid. The property owner is asked to choose at least three contractors to bid on the job. A list of contractors is available for the owner to use. Clackamas County does not recommend or endorse any contractor. The contractors on the list have expressed an interest in working with this program.
6. Bid Conference. The Rehab Advisor may meet with the applicant, property owner and potential bidders to discuss the proposed work and review the bidding procedure.
7. Owner Contractor Selection. The property owner and applicant must study each bid for completeness, accuracy and cost. The property owner then selects the contractor that he/she considers will perform the best quality of work for the stated price. The selected bid must be within 10 percent of the Rehab Advisor's estimate.
8. Grant Approval. After satisfactory bids are received and all financial data has been verified, Rehab Advisor submits the grant packet for final approval.
9. Preconstruction Conference. The Rehab Advisor meets with the property owner, applicant and the contractor to finalize all construction details.
10. Construction Contract. The Rehab Advisor prepares the construction contract. The construction contract is between the property owner and the contractor. Work may begin only after the construction contract is signed.
11. Changes to the Construction Contract. All changes to the specifications must be in writing and pre-approved by the owner, contractor, Rehab Advisor and Clackamas County Development Agency staff.
12. Construction Monitoring. During construction the owner and the Rehab Advisor will monitor the work on a regular basis.
13. Payments. Progress payments will be made after the owner and Rehab Advisor have inspected and approved the work. Checks will be made payable to the owner and the contractor.
14. Final Inspection. The owner and the Rehab Advisor will conduct a final inspection to verify that all of the work is completed according to the contract. The contractor will give the owner inspection certificates, lien waivers and warranties. Warranties must be good for one year.

2024 Home Access Grant Annual Income Limits