Possible aid from HUD for victims of Chinese drywall
Guidelines are set to be issued from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on how homeowners with Chinese drywall may access federal dollars to remedy their predicament. This information is courtesy of a letter received by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson of Florida.
While in Florida, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan suggested federal funding could be offered to homeowners through the Community Development Block Grant program. This program was created to assist low-income households or communities affected by natural disasters.
Homeowners stung by the defective drywall fiasco who have tried applying for these grants have been less than successful. Often applicants’ homes don’t meet the criteria of low-income housing and the acrid drywall doesn’t fit neatly into the “natural disaster” category. Secretary Donovan feels there’s a way to remedy the impasse.
In his letter to Sen. Nelson, Donovan wrote, “The guidance will provide details about the eligible activities relating to drywall remediation, and the ways in which (block grant) funds can be used to benefit families with various income levels. It is my expectation that this guidance will be valuable in helping affected communities and homeowners determine how best to respond to this set of issues.”
Perhaps this is the beginning of the long awaited help needed by homeowners held hostage by Chinese drywall.
Posted by Sharon Walker
Tags: Chinese drywall
The first Chinese drywall lawsuit begins this month; here is some good information: http://www.chinese-drywall-answers.com/. People living with Chinese drywall have suffered eye, respiratory, and sinus problems that may be linked to the gases emitted from defective Chinese drywall that also produce a sulfurous odor and causes metals—air conditioning coils, silverware, jewelry—to corrode. Some 500 million pounds of Chinese drywall was imported into this country since the late 1990s, impacting about 100,000 homes.
January 11th, 2010 at 8:51 am