To the editor:
I want to thank The Berkshire Edge for an excellent webinar on Wednesday, March 12, highlighting the housing crisis that is facing Massachusetts generally and the Berkshires in particular. During that webinar, Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities for the Commonwealth Ed Augustus made appropriate mention of the need for more accessible housing units for those wanting to age in place in the homes and communities of their choice.
If you are one of the many seniors or individuals living with disabilities in Berkshire County and you need to make accessibility modifications to your home, please consider the Home Modification Loan Program (HMLP). HMLP is a state-funded no-interest loan program to provide modifications to those in need of accessibility improvements to their homes.
Eligible applicants include homeowners and landlords (with fewer than 10 units) with necessary changes needed to their homes to keep disabled or elderly family members in their own homes. Possible modifications include bathroom and kitchen modifications, ramps, stair lifts, platform lifts, sensory/therapy spaces, hard-wired alarm systems, fences, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and more. Please note that this is not a home-repair program; repairs to roofs, windows, and heating are not eligible. All work must be completed by licensed and insured contractors.
For property owners, zero percent interest loans range between $1,000 and $50,000. No monthly payments are required, with repayment required when the property is sold or transferred. If you own a manufactured or mobile home, zero percent interest loans range from $1,000 to $30,000. All applications are subject to HMLP eligibility requirements.
For more information, please click here or contact our team here at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) at HMLP@berkshireplanning.org.
Brett Roberts
Senior Planner for Housing at BRPC
Stockbridge
Click here to read The Berkshire Edge’s policy for submitting Letters to the Editor.
