The State of North Dakota has increased funding for the repair and weatherization of rural homes. As reported in a recent issue of the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) Thresholds newsletter, the state allocated up to $450,000 for the Helping Housing Across North Dakota (Helping HAND) program, up from a previous allocation of $250,000. Helping HAND, which is administered by NDHFA, provides grants to tribal organizations and community action agencies for use in repairing and weatherizing homes on rural and tribal lands. NDHFA distributed the 2007 allocation among 17 grants, in amounts ranging from $2,500 to $66,200.
Helping HAND targets individuals or families whose incomes are at or below 80 percent of their county's median income. Grants can be used for single-family or multifamily housing. Matching funds of at least 25 percent of the total project cost are required. Since 2000, the program has contributed to the construction or rehabilitation of nearly 2,100 housing units statewide.
