DENVER— The Denver Urban Renewal Authority’s (DURA) Housing Rehabilitation program helped 50 homeowners across the city and county of Denver with home repairs in 2017.
Myron Tanenbaum, a Colorado homeowner, told Denver7 he doesn't know where his family would be without the program’s help.
Some background: The Housing Rehabilitation programs match low-income and moderate-income residents with grants and low-interest loans for emergency repairs. According to DURA officials, this includes hot water heater replacement, installing a new roof or replacing sewer lines.
Tanenbaum said he received notice from the City of Denver, alerting him about a crack in an underground pipe that was running through his property.
He said the notice required he take care of the issue in a timely manner.
Tanenbaum told Denver7 about the financial hardship his family has faced, since his daughter was diagnosed with cancer. He said paying for treatment has made it close to impossible for his family to afford any repair work.
He said he explained this difficulty to the city worker who did the inspection on the pipe. Tanenbaum said that’s when he was directed to DURA.
“We have resources ready to spend,” Tracy Huggins told Denver7.
Huggins is DURA’s executive director.
She referred to resources that ultimately provided contractors and construction to Tanenbaum.
Huggins added these are resources that are available to those who “income qualify.”
“To be able to come in and have someone manage the entire construction project with you, and be able to look up and have your home be really safe and much more enjoyable,” Huggins said as she explained the impact of the program. “[It's] a program that doesn't require you to make a payment - if you income qualify at that level - until you sell the house.”
Huggins explained what the programs provide and who they help. She said particularly those who are elderly or who have fixed incomes.
She said this assistance is “not just a loan program,” but that DURA provides wrap-around services for those earning at-or-below 80 percent of the area median income.
Loan staff determine eligibility, then a rehabilitation team inspects the property and puts together a list of what work needs to be addressed.
The work is then coordinated with the homeowner.
Denver7 followed Tanenbaum around his property as he pointed out areas where work was done on the pipe.
As he walked through his yard, he sighed and said, “It’s hard keeping up with this place.”
A place Tanenbaum has called home for the last 31 years.
“Without DURA I wouldn't have been able to do it,” he said.