Green change - Home Makeover Magazine

homeowner meet, RRAP application is
fi lled out, proof of income is provided,
and eligibility determined.
� Th e house is inspected by a building
inspector, and a list of repairs is created.
� Homeowner obtains a minimum of
three written cost estimates from contractors.
� Housing loans offi cer and homeowner
meet and fi nalize loan details.
� Application is sent to CMHC.
� Once approved, homeowner contacts
contractors to do work.
� Once work is complete, the building
inspector inspects and approves work.
� Th e contractor, through the housing
loans offi cer at CMHC, requests payment.
� Payment from CMHC is received and
the homeowner pays contractor.
Th e RRAP program is more extensive
than most believe, however. For instance,
in-house elevators are eligible for the
purpose of improving accessibility for
disabled occupants. RRAP is the only
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government program that allows for the
installation of an elevator in home.
Also, landlords can apply for up to
$24,000 for modifi cations to rental suites
to make them more accessible to persons
with disabilities.
“$16,000 per
applicant in the
Vancouver area”
Accessible assistance
Other funding is available, under a separate
federal program, to handle other home
improvements to create a more accessible
living space for older homeowners.
Th is program is known as the Home
Adaptations for Seniors’ Independence
(HASI). It provides assistance for such
things as handrails installed by the
stairs to a basement, or a grab-bar in the
shower. It can also cover some of the cost
of installing a wheelchair ramp, stair lift s
or non-slip fl ooring.
Who is eligible for HASI?
Homeowners and landlords alike may
qualify for assistance, as long as the
occupant of the dwelling meets certain
criteria. Th ese include: being 65 years of
age, or older; experiencing diffi culty with
normal daily activities brought on by
aging; and living in their own permanent
residence. Th e occupant must also have
a total income below a certain threshold,
which varies depending on where he or
she lives in Canada.
Th ose who qualify for HASI can
receive fi nancial assistance of up to $3,500.
CMHC also off ers ways to help people
who want to convert space in existing
dwellings to create secondary suites or
build garden suites for low-income seniors.
For more information about HASI
or the RRAP programs from CMHC programs,
call 1-800-639-3938 or visit www.
cmhc.ca. �
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