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HOME / SUPPORTS FOR ISLANDERS AND FAMILIES / SOCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY MANUAL /

6-11 Expenses - Special Needs: Repairs to Property

1.0 PURPOSE

1.1 To provide essential home repairs for eligible homeowners receiving social assistance.

2.1 Applicant: a person who is a homeowner and applies for or receives social assistance.

2.2 Promissory Note: A written promise to repay a specified sum of money to the Department.

2.3 Residence: the primary dwelling owned by the applicant at the time of the social assistance application and includes the property on which the dwelling is located, to a maximum of one acre.

2.4 Repairs to Property: Improvements and repairs to the applicant’s residence where the applicant is a homeowner and has been receiving social assistance for 12 months or more or:

• are necessary to maintain the health and safety of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse or dependents
• are of a more substantial nature and
• alternative government or commercial financing is unavailable or insufficient,
• in an amount which is the lesser of:
  1. the actual cost of the repair,
  2. the deficiency remaining from available government or commercial financing, or
  3. the allowable maximum amount.

2.5 Security: The value of the applicant’s residence identified in the promissory note which is payable to the Department from the proceeds of a sale if the applicant’s residence is sold.

3.1 The Department may grant social assistance to an applicant at the established rates for the purpose of home maintenance or minor repairs or an amount that is in excess of this which is repayable under subsection 6.1(1) of the Act.

3.2 An applicant may make a request to the Department for social assistance to make repairs to their residence.

3.3 The applicant must provide documentation that demonstrates they have applied for bank loans and/or Federal/Provincial Housing Repair programs prior to requesting assistance through this program.

3.4 The applicant must provide documentation of clear title to the residence.

3.5 The Department shall assess the applicant’s request and may determine that relocation is more appropriate than assisting financially with the repair.

3.6 Where the Department determines repairs can be made to the residence, the Department shall request the applicant to obtain an estimate of the costs. Where there is uncertainty in determining a reasonable cost, the applicant will be asked to provide more than one estimate. The Department will not authorize repairs to the residence without an estimate of costs.

3.7 The applicant shall confirm the cost and details of the requested repair.

3.8 The Department, in accordance with Section 6.1 (1) of the Act, will recover the cost for all repairs that are or accumulate to be in excess of $5,000. As such, the Department shall request the applicant to sign a promissory note pledging their residence as security.

3.9 In order for the Department to recover the amount provided to the applicant that is in excess of $5,000, the Department shall consider the approximate value of the residence, whether this value exceeds the amount expended and the potential for further repairs in the near term.

4.1 All repairs to the residence shall require approval of the Supervisor even though the costs may be within the worker’s financial signing authority.

4.2 All recipients who are approved are detailed on the Cumulative Repairs to Property form.