CARIBOU, Maine — The Fort Fairfield Housing Authority recently extended their senior home modification program, in which workers provide up to $1,500 in safety renovations to elderly households, to include Caribou.
Those wishing to sign up must be at least 60 years old or have a disability and own their own home, or live in a home a family member owns. In addition, their gross annual income needs to be under $40,000 for a single person household, $45,700 for two, and $51,400 for three.
The housing authority offers a large number of services to each individual who signs up. These include checking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, light bulbs, dryer vents, furnace filters, and refrigerator coils. The FFHA maintenance staff will also perform repairs to flooring, screen doors, and steps, and even install handrails, grab bars, raised toilet seats, shower seats, and change doorknobs.
Veronica Plourde, leader of the program, described the senior citizen home modification project during Caribou’s Dec. 13 City Council meeting.
While councilors had a few questions for Plourde, they unanimously agreed to let her extend the coverage to Caribou.
Mayor Gary Aiken had concerns about FFHA’s three-person maintenance staff and their initial goal of modifying 20 homes in 2017.
“I understand what you’re doing, but I’m just saying that when you open this up to include Caribou, I can see people calling us up and saying ‘I applied for this thing a year ago and nobody’s been here,’” Aiken said.
The program leader explained that the Maine Housing Authority will dedicate $50,000 to the first year of the program, so if they use less than $1,500 for some homes, they will have more money and time available to modify other households.
Additionally, the FFHA can enlist the help of other organizations, such as as ACAP and Alpha One.
Councilor David Martin asked if every applicant would receive a timely response. Plourde assured the councilor that all applicants will hear back from FFHA after they sign up.
Caribou Councilor Joan Theriault complemented the FFHA’s project.
“I think this is a good idea,” Theriault said, “and I think a lot of these things are quick fixes that won’t take very long.”
