Overview
Have you experienced sewage back-up in your home?
Concerned about lead or asbestos?
You could be eligible for free home improvements from New York State.
- Repair wastewater flood damage;
- Replace/install sewage backflow preventor;
- Remediate environmental risk
On April 15th, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $3 million would be made available to assist Mount Vernon residents impacted by the sewer and water infrastructure crisis in the city.
The Mount Vernon Healthy Homes Program, a pilot initiative currently targeted to the most frequently impacted and high-risk properties, will mitigate environmental hazards, and make resiliency upgrades to private property. Participating homes may be eligible for rehabilitation of damaged pipes, sewage backflow prevention, replacement of lead service lines, and other needed environmental remediation
Click HERE to create a login and begin your application. If you have questions about the application or require further assistance, feel free to contact us at (914) 504-2300 or by email at [email protected]
FAQs
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Who is running this program? | This program is administered by the NYS Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery. It is federally funded through the Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus (CDBG-CV), which is administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). |
| Who is this program open to? | This pilot program is currently open to residents in Mount Vernon. The program is targeted to homes that are the most frequently impacted by the city’s longstanding wastewater infrastructure issues. While the homeowner must be the primary applicant to receive services, we encourage any Mount Vernon residents impacted by these issues to complete an interest form. |
| What does this program offer? | The Mount Vernon Healthy Homes pilot program will mitigate environmental hazards and make resiliency upgrades to homes that are impacted by wastewater and sewage issues in Mount Vernon. |
| What sorts of home upgrades would be available for homeowners as part of the program? | Participating homes may be eligible for repair to wastewater damage to their homes, installation of sewage backflow prevention measures, mitigation of lead infiltration to water within homes, pipe repairs, and other needed environmental remediation measures. |
| How can I participate? | To participate in the program, please fill out an application. |
| What is the timeline for making the wastewater upgrades? | Timeline will vary, depending on the scope of work needed to address the issues in your home. GOSR’s contractors will communicate with you once a timeline is established. |
| How much money will I get to fix my home? | GOSR will not be disbursing an award directly to you. Rather, GOSR will hire and pay a contractor to perform the work on your behalf. |
| I already made wastewater-related upgrades to my home. Can I still participate and be reimbursed? | Rather than reimbursing for upgrades already completed, this pilot program is currently targeted to prospective updates implemented through GOSR’s contractor following the applicant’s approval. However, we encourage families who experience sewer-related damage in their home to apply regardless of whether they already made upgrades so that we have information about what type of investments are needed by the community. |
| What is involved in filling out an application? | The application includes questions about your ownership of the home, residential status, income, and damage to your home. If you would like help filling out the application, contact us at (914) 504-2300 or by email at [email protected]. |
| Are there eligibility criteria? | The application process will guide applicants through any eligibility criteria. GOSR’s case management team is also available to help answer questions or fill out the application. Feel free to contact us at (914) 504-2300 or by email at [email protected]. In general, eligibility criteria include ownership of the home, income limits based on household size, and demonstrated need for repair or mitigation work related to wastewater issues. |
| How long does it take to determine if my application is approved? | Our Case Management team will review your application in a timely manner. Providing everything required in the application will make the eligibility review process more efficient. |
| How will I know If I am approved? | Homeowners determined to be approved for assistance under the program will be contacted by their case manager and will be informed of next steps. |
| If my home was damaged by an extreme weather event including a hurricane, can I participate in this program? | Homeowners determined to be approved for assistance under the program will be contacted by their case manager and will be informed of next steps. |
| I am looking for home upgrades outside of what this program covers. Are there any other programs where I can get assistance? | While this pilot program is targeted to homes that have experienced damage due to sewage issues, please check back for information on our Ida recovery program that will cover damage associated with extreme weather. |
| I am a small business owner and have suffered damages that this program covers. Am I able to apply? | The pilot program is currently only open to residential homes. Please check back to this website for updates on whether it will be expanded. |
| I do not live in a low-to-moderate income household. Should I apply? If I apply, will I get assistance? | The pilot program is currently only targeted to low-to-moderate income households. We continue to work with our federal and local partners to explore all possible income eligibility requirements in order to make this program accessible to more applicants. Although we cannot guarantee assistance, we encourage all residents impacted by the wastewater crisis in Mount Vernon to apply. |
| I do not live in Mount Vernon but have suffered damages this program covers. Are there any other programs where I may be eligible? | The pilot program is currently only available to Mount Vernon residents. Please check back to our website for updates on whether it will be expanded. |
Resources
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Mount Vernon Healthy Homes Fact Sheet
Basic information about the Mount Vernon Healthy Homes Program.
Download