NEW PROCESS GIVES MORE SENIORS CHANCE TO APPLY FOR CITY EMERGENCY HOME REPAIR FUNDS

Detroit- As the City of Detroit Planning and Development Department prepares to open the application process for the Senior Emergency Home Repair program from 9 a.m. � 4 p.m., Saturday, September 29 in the Riverview Ballroom at Cobo Conference Center, department officials stress to seniors and their families the need to be aware of the new application procedures.

PDD officials began to redesign the program last year after drawing approximately 5,000 prospective applicants to five citywide distribution sites to apply for the City�s annual $3 million grant program. Many of the seniors and their families arrived before daybreak and exhausted applications at most sites within the first few hours.

�The new Citywide Grant Drawing program ensures that the greatest possible number of applicants have an opportunity to secure an application without being subjected to health, safety and welfare concerns,� said Jannie Warren, general manager of PDD�s Housing Services Division. �Conducting the event at Cobo eliminates the tendency for them to leave their homes in the wee hours of the morning trying to be the first in line or having to stand for hours in long lines just to get an application,� Warren said. �Cobo provides a safe, relaxed and convenient setting large enough to accommodate all of our senior and disabled applicants under one roof. Having them all together,� Warren continued, �also enabled us to design a method that permits every interested person with a chance to apply.�

As with the previous format, the new program will award a total of $3 million in individual grants up to $12,000 to low-income seniors 65 years of age and older and physically disabled persons 55 years of age or older. Applicants must own and occupy the residence for which they seek grant funds and repairs must be of an emergency health or safety-related nature.

Under the new process prospective applicants have nearly a full day to get to the program site to complete and submit an entry form that will be entered in the random drawing. Distribution of entry forms will begin at 9 a.m. and all entries must be submitted to program officials by 3:30 p.m. to participate in the random drawing at 4 p.m. Although applicants need not be present at the time of the drawing to be awarded their application, they must still meet income and other eligibility guidelines to qualify to receive grant funds.

The new format also enables the department to reach out to other senior services providers who can extend additional or alternative resources beyond those available from PDD or other City departments. Other agencies that will be on hand to assist and service seniors at the Citywide Grant Drawing include:

� Detroit Medical Center
� Henry Ford Health System
� AARP
� Detroit Area Agency on Aging
� City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department
� Wayne State University Gerontology Department
� MHSDA/HUD
� Great Lakes Capital
� Shorebank
� Fifth Third Bank

For more information about the Citywide Grant Drawing, call 313-224-3461. Program eligibility criteria and frequently asked questions are available on the City�s Website at www.ci.detroit.mi.us.