In a situation all too familiar for Wyoming residents, Mildred had shingles blowing off her roof from the Wyoming wind. She has lived in her Washakie County home for more than 20 years with her son and dogs, creating a forever home that she is proud of. The roof was last replaced in 2008 and in dire need of replacement once again. Occasionally, it would leak after a rain or snow storm. But Mildred’s fixed income limited her ability to hire a contractor to replace the roof without financial assistance.

Her son got online and started to research grant programs for home repairs. He discovered USDA Rural Development’s 504 Home Repair Program, which makes loan funds available to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes. Grant funds are also available to very-low-income homeowners aged 62 or older to remove health and safety hazards.

After contacting Wyoming’s Rural Development Single Family Housing staff, Mildred was determined to be eligible for the grant program. She was awarded a $10,000 grant to replace the roof on her home.

Mildred worked with a local contractor to get the project started. As the roofing crew began removing the old shingles, they discovered the wood decking was completely rotten and would also need to be replaced. This additional expense was not included in the original scope of work, and therefore, would be an added expense for Mildred. She worried how she would pay for this unexpected cost. The contractor made a generous donation of all the decking material for Mildred’s project.

Mildred said without the repair grant funding, her house would most likely still have a damaged roof today, possibly even facing citations from the city. She has expressed her appreciation for the Single Family Housing staff in Wyoming who helped her through the grant application process.