Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation & Improvement Corporation (CHRIC) has a large amount of owner-occupied housing rehabilitation work to deliver over the next year. Any contractors who have an interest in bidding on CHRIC contracts should contact the CHRIC office to receive a Contractor’s Information Packet and application at 716-753-4650 or you may download and print one from CHRIC’s website at: www.chric.org. Minority & Women Owned Business Enterprises are strongly encouraged to apply.

CHRIC offers financial assistance to help low-moderate income homeowners make necessary home repairs. CHRIC has an incredibly significant waiting list due to the overwhelming need and demand for assistance with home repairs in Chautauqua County.

CHRIC Rehab Programs are open to individuals and/or families with incomes at or below 80% of AMI, which is set each year by HUD. However, the elderly, Veterans disabled, and households with incomes below 30% of AMI are most often serviced first, depending on the grants that are available at the time.

CHRIC addresses health, safety, code violations and lead paint issues first. Work that is necessary to maintain the home in a safe, decent, and livable condition may be eligible, including roofs, windows, porches, chimneys, plumbing, heating, electrical, wells and septic systems. CHRIC also addresses handicapped accessibility needs for people with disabilities, Seniors, and Veterans.

Most of CHRIC’s grants are targeted to designated areas in the county through Towns and Villages that may have applied directly for funding to help their residents. If the homeowners are not located in one of these target areas, then they will be sent a pre-application to fill out and return to be placed on our General Countywide Housing Rehab Waiting List.

CHRIC has limited grant funding available for homeowners that reside in the Village of Sherman and the Village of Falconer who need home repairs. This limited funding comes through the most recent Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding awards through NYS Housing Community Renewal, Office of Community Renewal.

The City of Dunkirk has very limited and targeted funding available for homeowners in the City of Dunkirk through their Code Violation Repair Program This special funding comes from their most recent Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding awards through U. S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) which CHRIC is administrating for them. Funding is very, very limited for this program.

CHRIC now has special funding available to Chautauqua County Heroes, Veterans with disabilities and physical limitations called ACCESS Chautauqua Heroes through the ACCESS to Home Heroes/Veterans Program through the NYS Housing Trust Fund, Homes & Community Renewal. Through ACCESS Chautauqua Heroes our agency may be able to provide wheelchair ramps, bathroom adaptations, and/or other minor adaptations that will make it possible for Veterans with physical limitations to remain in or return to their homes. The program also offers help with general emergency home repairs as well for the Veterans. These programs can provide minor & moderate adaptation work but cannot provide enough funds to completely reconstruct a home for accessibility purposes.

Homeowners who are interested in any of these programs should call the CHRIC office at 716-753-4650 for more information to see if they are income eligible, you may also access CHRIC’s website at www.chric.org to download and print a Pre-application for the waiting list.