Healthy Homes Assessments

Healthy Homes & Communities in the Alabama Black Belt

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) Bureau of Environmental Services, Indoor Air Quality and Lead Branch and the University of Alabama was recently awarded a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Healthy Homes Production Grant from the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) to remove environmental and safety hazards from some of Alabama’s vulnerable and underserved communities. The University of Alabama SafeState Program and the Alabama Life Research Institute will help manage the $2,000,000 grant award and remediation activities.

Link to Press Release

 

Program Information

Project Area

The University of Alabama and Alabama Department of Public Health HHPG project area includes Choctaw, Clarke, Lowndes, Marengo, and Wilcox Counties as well as the City of York in Sumter County

Our goal is to improve at least 150 homes in this area (approximately 27 homes per county with at least 15 in York).

Project Priority Criteria (How we will prioritize homes?)

1. Homes located in York, Fort Deposit, Linden, Lisman (provided Letters of Support)
2. Homes with individuals over the age of 65
3. Homes with disabled or individuals
4. Homes with health compromised individuals
5. Homes with children under the age of 6

Income Criteria (Who qualifies for assistance?)

For all housing, all units assisted with grants must be the residence of families with income at or below eighty percent (80%) of the area Median Family Income (MFI) level, or at income levels defined in the income guidelines in OLHCHH’s policy guidance on determining income.

• Area Median Family Income (MFI) Levels Per County

• How to calculate your total annual household income:

To calculate the household income for a single home, total the gross income of each person living in the home who is 15 years old or older, regardless of whether they are related or not.

Household income is usually calculated as a gross amount rather than net figure, before deducting taxes or withholdings.

• What documents Can I use to Prove Income Level
  • IRS tax forms or Form W-2 (wage and tax statement)
  • Additional form of income verification for each household member, examples include:
    • Paystubs for the most recent 3 months
    • Social Security earnings or Supplemental Security Income statement
    • Disability or Worker’s Compensation
    • Child Support or Alimony
    • Other annuity or retirement income statements
    • Bank Statements
  • If there are adults living in the household that are not employed, a notarized “verification of no income” form (included on last page of the application)

Flood Insurance Requirement

The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a) requires that projects receiving federal assistance and located in an area identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as being within a Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) be covered by flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In order to be able to purchase flood insurance, the community must be participating in the NFIP. If the community is not participating in the NFIP, federal assistance cannot be used in those areas.

Resources:

 Pre-Screening form (PDF)

Please submit Pre-Sceening form to Healthyhomes@ua.edu

HUD Healthy Homes Webpage

HUD Healthy Homes Program Brochure

8 Principles for Healthy Home ( Video)

Contact Information:

Michael Rasbury, Associate Director

healthyhomes@ua.edu 

205-348-3967

Healthy Homes, Healthy Families