(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) – The Redevelopment Authority of the City of Erie (RACE) is using its allocated American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to help city residents fix up their homes with a new program.

Over $3 million of ARP funds were awarded to RACE to create its new Healthy Homes Program for city residents.

RACE’s Healthy Homes Program is promoting healthy and safe housing that will result in reducing preventable home health or safety hazards.

This program is for City of Erie residents, and the application process is open to the public.

Once applications are filled out by the homeowner, RACE will send an inspector out to the home to assess what the biggest hazard is in the home that will later be fixed.

The program will put money into fixing hazards, such as an old roof, or environmental hazards that weren’t able to be fixed during the pandemic.

More people will be eligible for these repairs, setting it apart from other programs offered by race.

“We can do things like address roofing issues, if there’s moisture in the homes, a leaking roof, leaking basement, that sort of thing. We can do a number of different types of repairs with this funding where you know some of our other programs we have restrictions. As far as the kind of work we can do,” said Holly Cook, director of program administration.

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Applications are open now. To find out if you are eligible, click here.