COLUMBIA, S.C. — A new program called SHINE (Single Family Housing Improvements for Neighborhood Enhancements) is providing much-needed aid to low-income homeowners in Columbia, offering crucial assistance for home improvement and maintenance.
“I’m not getting any younger, so I can’t do the things I used to do so I’d prefer rather to have it done and have it done proper," said homeowner Donnell Freeman.
Freeman has owned his home in Columbia for 50 years. He applied to the SHINE program at Tuesday's open enrollment session to help ease some of the physical and financial burdens that come along with maintaining his home.
“I hate to see people lose their home, or it increases the cost of living trying to live in a home that needs repairs, especially here," he said.
The housing rehab program is being offered to low to moderate-income households. People also have to have lived in their homes for five years. The program is federally funded and will offer assistance for various repairs from weatherization to even rebuilding in some cases.
It aims to fill a void left behind by the city's former maintenance assistance program, also known as MAP, that would offer repairs up to $20,000.
“When we were going to do the repair assessments, the cost exceeded the $20,000 so we understood we have an aging housing stock in the city of Columbia and we were turning away more people than we were helping," said senior program manager Delores Shabazz.
Carol Green also applied for the program because she is unable to afford the cost of insulating her home.
“Being retired and having so so income, it’s difficult to maintain a $300 electric bill and have money to do repairs," said Green.
The needs of the home are determined based on a repair assessment conducted by the City of Columbia.
There were two open enrollment sessions. One was today and the next is June 28 at Earlewood Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You have to fill out a form first before you go.
For more information, visit the community development website.