Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion took time during Wednesday’s City Council meeting to invite area residents to take advantage of the housing assistance programs administered through the Uintah Basin Association of Governments. “The reason we are involving ourselves in this is we have an aging housing stock in Vernal,” explained Bennion, who says there are areas in Vernal that could benefit from the funds available through multiple programs. Those programs include: The Weatherization program utilizing funding through Rocky Mountain Power and Dominion Energy. The SHARP program based on the principle of sweat equity offering funds to rehab homes. The Mutual Self Help Housing Program in which a group of families and individuals come together to build homes and earn sweat equity. And finally, a program utilizing CDBG funds. This program is one the City is focusing on, shares Bennion. There is about $350,000 dollars available for homes in 2018. 26 homes were rehabilitated in the TriCounty area last year using this program and the average homeowner qualifies for $7,500 to $13,000 dollars per home. This is not for cosmetic updates but for needs like roofing, plumbing, or structural needs. Vernal City will have a booth at the Home and Garden Show and Outdoor Expo on March 23rd and 24th as they continue to promote these programs to the public.
