esidential rehabilitation assistance program

1 esidential rehabilitation assistance programRApplicant sGuidehomeownerWhat is HomeownerRRAP?The homeowner Residential RehabilitationAssistance program ( homeowner RRAP) offersfinancial help to low-income homeowners who needto make repairs to their program isaimed at people who live in substandard dwellingsand cannot afford the repairs that are necessary to make their home safer and healthier to live is Responsible?The rules and regulations for homeowner RRAP areset by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation(CMHC), an agency of the federal need advice or help with any of the stepsdescribed in this guide, you should contact your localRRAP delivery may be CMHC, or it may be an individual or municipality who is responsible forthe delivery of RRAP in your area on CMHC s RRAP delivery agent can tell you which repairsare eligible under the program , help you complete theRRAP Application form for Homeowners, and answeryour find out who your RRAP deliveryagent is, call your local CMHC office, listed in the bluepages of the telephone is Eligible?

2 Use the following checklist to find out whether youmay be eligible to receive assistance : You own, and live in, your house. (If you live in a rural area, you may be eligible to receiveassistance even if you do not own the land. Checkwith your RRAP delivery agent for details.) Your total household income is at or below the maximum level established for your area.(The information in this guide will help youdetermine whether you qualify based on your income.) Your house is at least five years old. Your house is valued below the establishedamount. Your house is substandard or deficient andneeds major repair in at least one of thefollowing areas:- structural- electrical- plumbing- heating- fire safetyWork to help reduce overcrowding may alsoqualify a dwelling for homeowner RRAP. Your property has not received RRAP fundingwithin the past 15 years. (If it has, and you needrepairs urgently, your local CMHC office orRRAP delivery agent can tell you whether otherassistance may be available.)

3 Some other restrictions may apply. If you live in a building with more than one unit, or in acondominium, you should contact your RRAP delivery agent before proceeding Types of Repairsare Eligible?In general, repairs required to bring a dwelling up toa minimum level of health and safety can be fundedunder receive RRAP assistance , you mustagree to complete all the mandatory repairs asidentified by the RRAP s important to keep in mind that HomeownerRRAP is for basic repairs, not simply to modernize a unit or improve its work performed before your RRAP loanis approved is not About the ProgramWho Can Do the Work?There may be laws in your area that require a licensed tradesperson to do specific this is notthe case, you may wish to reduce costs, and the amount of your loan, by doing all or part of the work yourself. RRAP will cover costs for materials, but not for your Much assistance is Provided?The maximum amount of forgivable loan varies according to three geographic zones:Zone 1: Southern areas of Canada$16,000 Zone 2: Northern areas$19,000 Zone 3: Far northern areas$24,000 Additional assistance may be available in areas defined as your household income is at or below the income ceiling, you may be eligible for the total cost of repairs upto the maximum loan loan is earned over a period of up to five willbe expected to continue to own and occupy your property during this period.

4 If you sell or move out of the property, you may have to repay some of the How the program Works for YouUnder homeowner RRAP, there are several stepsthat you must follow before and after repair workbegins:1. You assess whether you may be eligible and fillout the RRAP Application send thecompleted application to the local RRAP delivery agent, along with proof of An inspector inspects the house and sends youa list of the mandatory repairs that can befunded through You ask contractors for written cost estimateson the repairs and send them to the RRAP delivery The RRAP delivery agent meets with you toreview your application and finalize the CMHC approves or rejects the If your application is approved, you enter into acontract with your contractor and start As work is done, you receive payment fromCMHC and pay the following information will help you in workingthrough these 1: Filling out theApplicationBefore completing the RRAP Application form, you willneed to check whether you may be 1a.

5 Calculating Your Total HouseholdIncomeThe total household income is the income of allhousehold members who work or receive an from all sources must be included, such asincome from salaries, wages, social assistance , pensions,or any investment complete this step, use Worksheet A, Household IncomeWorksheet, included with the application 1b: Determining Your Income CeilingYou can be eligible for homeowner RRAP only if yourtotal household income is at or below a maximumlevel, based on the number of people who live in yourhome and the area in which you determine the income threshold that applies to you,complete Worksheet B, Income Threshold Worksheet. If your total household income is at or belowthe income ceiling for your area, continue withstep 1c and complete the RRAP Application forHomeowners provided with this 1c: Completing the RRAP ApplicationYou will need to complete all the information on the RRAP Application form for proof of your current income, such as aletter from your employer or a pay cheque stub, anda copy of your most recent income tax form andassessment from Canada Customs and RevenueAgency.

6 If your house is a mobile home, include the home s serial or registration and the co-owner of the house (if there is one)must sign the completing all sections of the application form,send it, and all supporting documentation, to yourRRAP delivery RRAP delivery agent will review yourapplication to confirm whether you are eligible toreceive assistance under the RRAP agent may ask for more information, such asconfirmation of the value of your 2: Inspectingyour PropertyYour RRAP delivery agent will contact you to arrangea time to inspect your house. Using CMHC sHomeowner RRAP Standards for rehabilitation ,theRRAP inspector determines which repairs the inspection is completed, theRRAP inspector will prepare a report that identifiesthe repairs required to your 3: ObtainingCost EstimatesThe RRAP inspector will provide you with copies of the Inspection Report that you can use to obtainestimates from contractors, or if you are doing thework yourself, from your will make it easier for you to get accurate is your responsibility to find suitable and local home builder s association, suchas the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA),may be able to give you the names of members whodo home may also wish to speak to friendsor neighbours who have had experience with a certaincontractor, or consult the Yellow localBetter Business Bureau can advise you on whether thereputation of the contractor is are expected to obtain at least two estimatesfrom different contractors for each item of repairwork.

7 Once you have received these estimates, youshould forward them to the RRAP delivery agent review will cover prices as well as thekinds of materials 4 and 5:Finalizing YourApplicationAfter reviewing the cost estimates, your RRAP deliveryagent will determine the amount of the loan, based onthe repair estimates. Other eligible costs, such asbuilding permit fees, may also be included in the the mandatory repair costs exceed the maximumRRAP loan available, you will be expected to seekother sources of final loan application will be forwarded to thenearest CMHC office for will beadvised in writing once it is approved or , before any repair work begins,you must wait until your loan has 6: Starting WorkWhen you receive your loan approval letter, youmust sign and return the Promissory Note that isincluded with the letter. If you receive loans underboth RRAP homeowner and RRAP for Persons withDisabilities and the total is above $25,000, you willbe expected to arrange a mortgage and pay for anylegal fees involved in preparing fees can beincluded in your RRAP loan.

8 CMHC will provide youwith the required documentation for preparing a a Contract with Your ContractorSince you are responsible for paying the contractor, itis important that a work contract be workcontract should cover all key points relating to therepair work, including all the requirements outlined inthe RRAP inspector s report, and start and completiondates. Once you have a final agreement with thecontractor, and have completed the proceduresdescribed in this section, the work can begin :You will be signing the contract to get thework , it is your responsibility tosee that the contractor lives up to the obligationsdescribed in the contract. Do not sign the contractbefore your loan has been will be expected to start work within twomonths of your loan 7: Once RepairWork BeginsAll the repairs must be completed within sixmonths of the date on which your RRAP loan the contractors begin work, they will likely askyou to pay them upon the completion of the larger jobs, they will ask to be paid at thecompletion of each major stage of the happens, you should send the contractor sinvoice to your RRAP delivery agent.

9 Paymentcheques will be issued by CMHC to you, or jointlyto you and the is your responsibilityto ensure that the work is completedproperly, the local building requirements aremet and that the contractor is theinvoice is for a final payment, your RRAP inspectormust perform an inspection of the work before apayment cheque is inspector will bechecking to ensure that the work is completed andmeets CMHC s homeowner RRAP Standards forRehabilitation. For some types of RRAP repairs (forexample, electrical, plumbing, heating), where aprovincial or municipal permit may be required, theremay be visits by other inspectors to certify that thework is done according to the requirements of theresponsible , during the repair work, you discover that additionalwork is required, discuss the possibility of a loanincrease with your RRAP delivery will beasked to obtain new cost estimates for the additionalwork from your for yourHomeWhen the repairs are completed, you will want tokeep your home in good condition.

10 Propermaintenance will not only save you money in the longrun, it will also keep your home safe and comfortablefor all who live in it. If you re not sure about what willhelp, get some tips from home maintenance books orfrom your local building supply centre. CMHC also haspublications, some of which are available free of chargeto you as a RRAP publications offer tipsfor doing repairs to your home, and for home and your family are worth the extra After the Work is Completed4. Other RRAP ProgramsIf you or any member of your household have adisability, and modifications to your home wouldimprove accessibility, you may be eligible forassistance under RRAP for Persons with obtain more information, contact your nearestCMHC office or your local RRAP delivery Mortgage and Housing CorporationOttawa, OntarioK1A 0P7 Cette publication est aussi disponible en fran ais sous le titre Le Parelpour propri taires-occupants.