by Marcia Parnell
The Town is submitting an application for a Housing Rehabilitation Program (HRP) grant to
secure funding for home improvement assistance to low- and moderate-income owner-occupied
dwellings in Becket. Becket will partner with Dalton in applying for a $1 million grant to be
administered by the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC).
The rehabilitation projects considered under the grant include roofing, foundation repair, energy-
efficient doors and windows, plumbing, electrical repair or replacement, water supply, septic, lead paint abatement and other repairs needed to bring a dwelling into compliance with all applicable codes to ensure safe and clean sanitary conditions for its residents.
In order to participate, Becket applicants must be the owner of record for the property and meet
income requirements, which begin at a maximum of $55,800 for a single owner-occupied property
and increase based on the number of persons living in the household. The maximum project cost
is $60,000, an increase from $35,000 in a FY2020 HRP grant and reflective of increased building
and material costs post-Covid, according to BRPC Program Manager Patricia Mullins.
Homeowner grant awards will be structured as a zero-interest deferred payment loan secured
by a 15-year lien on the property. The loan amount due will decrease each year by 1/15th of the
total loan value and after year 15 is deemed forgiven. If the property is sold or transferred prior
to the 15th year, then the remaining loan amount must be paid back.
The HRP is funded through the FY2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program
which receives its funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
and the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
The Town Select Board will hold a public hearing about the program at 7 pm on Wednesday, March
6th at Becket Town Hall. The CDBG grant application is due on March 25th. Anyone interested in
learning more is urged to attend. In addition, homeowners who are interested and believe they
may qualify are asked to contact BRPC Grant Specialist Christie Lewis at (413) 442-1521, ext. 23
or by email at clewis@berkshireplanning.
CDBG grant awards to town applicants are expected to be announced by Gov. Healey in August.
