Town of Bath has cash for qualifying homeowers
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

BATH - If you live in the Town of Bath, you may be eligible for free money.

The municipality is ready to disburse more than $200,000 to qualifying property owners whose homes are in need of basic renovations. Town Supervisor Fred Muller last week said the only issue impeding the disbursement is the lack of qualified individuals applying for the grants.

"I need more applications," Muller told members of the Bath town board last week.

To date, only four town residents have taken advantage of the program, Muller said: One in the Village of Savona and three in the Village of Bath. "We've had trouble getting people outside the village limits to apply," he said.

The funds, provided though the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, would provide outright grants of up to $25,000 to bring a residential property up to state code. To be eligible, applicants must occupy the homes to be renovated; multi-family residences, however, also qualify for the funds, as long as the owner lives on the premises.

Muller noted the funds would pay for 100 percent of the qualifying renovations to the portion of a multifamily residence occupied by the owner. The funds would pay for 50 percent of renovations to the tenantoccupied portion of the structure. In addition, the supervisor noted, applicants' taxes must be current.

Applicants must also meet income eligibility requirements, Muller said. The income cap for a family of four, for example, is $45,000; the cap for a single family is $32,100.

Additional details are available at the town clerk's office in the Liberty Street muncipal building, Muller said.

The clock is ticking, the supervisor added. The entire grant must be committed by Sept. 30, with individual grants spent by Nov. 30.