LEWISTON -  A new home-safety grant program designed to make pre-1976 mobile and manufactured homes safer and more livable was launched today at Lewiston’s Community Action Agency.

This community service is provided by the Idaho Community Reinvestment Corporation (ICRC) in partnership with the Idaho Housing and Finance Association (IHFA). The grant program will cover life safety issues related to these older homes ranging from installation of smoke detectors and emergency exit windows in each bedroom, to inspection of wiring and plumbing.

There are an estimated 30,000 mobile homes in Idaho that were built before 1976 and do not meet current safety or building codes. "Some are plain fire hazards and tragedies waiting to happen. Many are owned by persons who cannot afford to repair them," said JoAnn Wertz, ICRC executive director. "These grants will help those who need it most, to make their homes safer."

As the first agency to participate in the program, the Community Action Agency will provide initial home visits to determine need, select contractors and arrange for repairs, and conduct follow-up home visits to assure the work has been completed satisfactorily. CAA will serve Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Latah, Lewis, Nez Perce, and Shoshone counties.

Qualifying home owners must be Idaho residents, meeting certain income criteria. To apply for the grant, residents should contact the CAA by calling 208-746-3351, or toll-free 800-326-4843. Owners must provide proof of income and ownership of a pre-1976 manufactured home, as well as sign an agreement to participate in the program.

The Idaho Community Reinvestment Corporation is a nonprofit mortgage-banking consortium formed in 1993 by 10 Idaho financial institutions. Created as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, the ICRC has 14 member banks and a $35 million revolving loan pool to provide permanent financing for the development and acquisition of affordable rental housing throughout Idaho. Income from these loans is then used for grants such as the Home-Safety Grant Program.

The ICRC, in partnership with IHFA, pursues a common goal of providing rental housing to low- to moderate-income Idaho families. The ICRC provides the capital and IHFA acts as its underwriting agent. The benefits from this IHFA/ICRC partnership include the maximum use of scarce housing resources and better service to developers by providing a one-stop-shop for affordable housing sponsors.