MARION TWP — Homeowners who need additional plumbing and electrical upgrades to hook up to the new public sewer system may be eligible for an owner-occupied rehabilitation grant.

At an information forum held Thursday evening, June 22, Ricky Houk, housing stabilization intake coordinator with the Butler County Housing Authority, said he encourages residents to apply for the grant as soon as possible. An application deadline has not yet been set, Houk said.

Eligibility for the grant is determined by multiple factors, Houk said, including total household income. According to a preliminary questionnaire that must be filled out by applicants to determine eligibility, the income limit for one person is set to $56,250.

Residents who are unsure whether they qualify, because of income or other reasons can still apply, Houk said. Landlords and residents who have moved outside of the township may be placed on a waitlist, he said.

“For smaller landlords, that’s going to be a lengthier waitlist, because this funding was allocated specifically for homeowners in Marion Township,” said Houk.

Following the preliminary questionnaire, residents will begin a formal application process to be eligible for the grant. According to a flyer provided by the Housing Authority, applicants must submit documents including bank statements, verification of assets, a copy of homeowners insurance and tax returns.

“We do have to verify. It’s only to protect the taxpayer money, because somebody could say they’re making $40,000 a year, but they might actually be making $100,000,” said Houk.

Additionally, a five-year lien will be put on the homes covered by the grant to protect the project funds, he said.

“We don’t want to put money into your home, and then you turn around and sell it. So that’s why we do the five-year lien. Each year, 20% comes off with no payment. And then on the fifth year, we satisfy the lien,” Houk said. He noted that the lien would not affect applicants’ credit scores.

Under the grant, homeowners will not have to make plumbing and electrical upgrades themselves. The work will be contracted out by the Butler County Housing Authority to the “lowest responsible bidder” following a property inspection carried out by a construction coordinator, said Houk.

Homeowners will not be able to choose the contractors that make the repairs, Houk stated.

“Anything in a government setting is going to go to bid,” he said. “If you know a contractor, he can certainly apply to be in our pool of contractors and certainly bid on our project or any other project that we have.”

Following the meeting, supervisors’ chairman James McBride said Marion Township residents had experienced a myriad of issues with the old sewer system, including an 80% failure rate in the service area. The grant would benefit about 125 homes in the area, McBride said, and allow low-income residents to hook up to the new sewage system at little to no cost.

“As far as daily life goes, it’s the best thing to happen in a very long time. We have a lot of sewage issues in town, which is why we’re under consent order from the Department of Environmental Protection,” McBride said. “We’re just very thankful because what the county has done for us has been unbelievable. You never hear about, you know, zero hookup fees. This shouldn’t cost our residents anything. That’s our goal. That’s the plan.”

At the forum, township secretary Michelle Burd said she would be available to help residents with emailing or scanning application paperwork.

“We want this to be affordable for everyone,” she said.

Residents can expect construction to start in July, Burd said.

The grant was secured by Butler County commissioners in 2022. The $4.2 million sewer project includes contracts awarded to county and regional contractors.