PROGRAMS / ACCESS TO HOME

Access to Home is a community collaborative to make houses and apartments of low-income households significantly more accessible for persons in wheelchairs and with other mobility impairment. Its focus is to reduce housing barriers that lead to nursing home placement and to promote independent living.

Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. (WRO) is the lead agency, responsible for overall program coordination. WRO works with property owners, both Landlords and Homeowners, to approve proposed work and then contracts with local firms to make substantial home improvements, such as: widening doorways; lowering kitchen cabinets; bathroom modifications; upgrading exterior ramps; lifts and much more –usually at no cost to the consumer, homeowner or landlord.

Westchester Independent Living Center and Westchester Disabled on the Move screen applicants for eligibility and provide other necessary social services or case management to maximize self-sufficiency.

The Westchester County Department of Planning Staff inspects potential sites eligible for accessibility modifications, outlines the scope of work, and monitors construction. They will also identify other renovations needed for health and safety that could be achieved with funding through their additional property improvement programs such as Restore, Lead Safe Westchester, and other funding streams.

HOW TO APPLY To request a pre-application for Access to Home, call one of the following: * Westchester Disabled on the Move voice/TDD (914) 968-4717 * Westchester Independent Living Center voice/TDD (914) 683-3926 Download and print the Westchester Access to Home Flyer (pdf) INCOME GUIDELINES: Total Households cannot exceed: 1 PERSON 2 PERSONS 3 PERSONS 4 PERSONS 5 PERSONS $59,000 $67,400 $75,800 $84,200 $91,000 Funding: Westchester Access to Home is funded by a grant from the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal with substantial additional financial commitments from participating agencies.