The program provides essential support to families who need urgent repairs and rehabilitation to address critical health and safety concerns.
TAMPA, Fla. — With hurricane season just 55 days away, Hillsborough County is opening the waitlist for a home repair program. It provides essential support to families who need urgent repairs and rehabilitation to address critical health and safety concerns.
Temeca Hicks has lived in her east Tampa home for about 13 years.
“I grew up over there, born and raised,” Hicks said.
It’s where her memories live, but she needs support to make it more comfortable.
“I want to make it handicap accessible where the shower, I want a handicap shower and a bench, and the rails to my house, the ramps also,” Hicks said.
To do so, she’s applying for Hillsborough’s owner-occupied rehabilitation program.
“Special needs is one of our priority categories as well as the elderly and the repairs can be anything from an air-conditioning unit to a septic unit to windows, roofs, those types of things,” Brenda Vallecilla with Hillsborough County said.
The program is funded through Florida’s State Housing Initiative Partnership.
“The program that we had last year had a total of about 85 clients that we were able to help,” Vallecilla said.
Right now, the waitlist is open with hopes of funding coming through around the start of hurricane season.
“The whole point of affordable housing is to be able to maintain and preserve the one thing that brings a family stability,” Vallecilla said.
“It’s very expensive when you want to upgrade, but you don’t know when you’re going to become disabled or when it’s going to happen. It just happens,” Hicks said.
The program is open to people who own a condo, villa or single family home in unincorporated Hillsborough County. Your household income must be less than 80 percent of the area median income. For example, a family of four must make less than $83,450.
“With the cost of everything going up, this program is very helpful,” Hicks said.
The county said it’s better to apply sooner rather than later, but right now, there is no deadline on when you can apply. Here’s a list of meetings you can attend to have someone help you with your application:
Thursday, April 9: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 78th St. Library Community Room, 7625 Palm River Rd., Tampa, FL 33619 Monday, April 13: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Northdale Park & Recreation Center, 15510 Hooting Owls Pl., Tampa, FL 33624 Tuesday, April 14: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bloomingdale Library Room 211, 1906 E. Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico, FL 33596 Monday, April 20: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lutz Library Community Room, 101 W. Lutz Lake Fern Rd., Lutz, FL 33548 Friday, May 1: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Town ‘N Country Library Community Room, 7606 Paula Dr., Tampa, FL 33615 Thursday, May 14: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gardenville Recreation Center, 6219 Symmes Rd., Gibsonton, FL 33534 Wednesday, May 20: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Balm Park and Community Center, 14747 Balm Wimauma Rd., Wimauma, FL 33598
For more information on how to apply click here.