How to Get Help

Homeowner Guidelines

Homeowner applicants are considered and selected based on need, the condition of a home, and the ability of our volunteers to undertake the priority repairs.

Requirements:

1. An applicant's home must be in an area in which AmeriCares HomeFront is established. This includes Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven Counties in Connecticut, as well as Westchester County, NY.

2. The home must be owner-occupied and be the Applicant’s only place of residence throughout the year.

3. The homeowner must be up to date on taxes or have an agreement to clear them.

4. Total annual household income generally should not exceed $35,000 with no significant savings. This includes all income sources: social security, SSI, pension, rental income, investments, unemployment compensation, etc. Applicants must disclose the income of all adults who live on the property. Excessive financial burdens, such as those associated with ongoing medical care, will be considered in determining need, if noted in an application.

5. Homeowners should intend to remain in their home for a minimum of five years once the repairs are made to preserve the original intent of the program – i.e., helping the neediest among us to remain safely in a hazard-free home.

6. While applicants are asked to disclose their participation in similar programs or to note if they are prior HomeFront recipients, neither will prevent their selection as a deserving homeowner.

7. The program is not restricted to one-time only assistance. Homeowners who have been selected in prior years may reapply and have as equal a chance of being selected as any other Applicant.  It should be noted that selection one year is not an automatic guarantee of acceptance in any subsequent year.

8. Condominiums, townhouses, co-ops and mobile homes are excluded from this program due to the specialty nature of those repairs.

9. If deemed qualified but not selected in the initial year of application, a homeowner may keep an application active simply by calling us in the spring once s/he receives a status notification letter from us. Many homeowners who have done so have been assisted in subsequent years.

For an Application form, click here.

If you still have questions, please email us or call us toll-free 1.800.887.HOPE (4673) or 203.658.9500 locally in the Stamford exchange.