Healthy Homes grant helps homeowners eliminate health, safety hazards at no cost
The program pays for qualifying repairs that address conditions such as mold, lead paint, poor indoor air quality, tripping hazards, broken steps, loose railings and other issues that can negatively affect residents' health.
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For years, Conrad Oyatsi watched his Bronx home fall into disrepair.
A bathroom window was held together with tape, flooring was deteriorating and other repairs continued to pile up after he moved into the home in 2018. Built in the 1930s, the house required thousands of dollars in repairs that Oyatsi said he could not afford.
"There used to be a big hole here. The floor was falling apart," Oyatsi said.
The mounting repair costs left him considering whether he would have to leave his home.
"It would cause me to abandon or sell off the property," he said.
Instead, Oyatsi was connected with Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services and enrolled in the federally funded Healthy Homes Program, a grant that helps eligible homeowners eliminate health and safety hazards at no cost.
The program pays for qualifying repairs that address conditions such as mold, lead paint, poor indoor air quality, tripping hazards, broken steps, loose railings and other issues that can negatively affect residents' health.
After completing the repairs, Oyatsi said his home has been transformed.
"It's very refreshing and inviting," he said.
Program officials say many homeowners are unaware that common household conditions can pose serious health risks.
"People don't really understand these hazards," said Chima Uba, program manager for the Healthy Homes Program. "They live in the home and see dust. They don't understand that this dust or chippings could actually be a source of respiratory disease."
Bronx Neighborhood Housing Services encourages homeowners living in homes with health or safety hazards to apply for the Healthy Homes Program to determine whether they qualify for assistance. The federally funded grant is designed to help homeowners make critical repairs without the financial burden of paying out of pocket.
