Summit County staff outline home-repair, weatherization and first-home aid available to Norton residents

An assistant director from Summit County Community and Economic Development on Tuesday told Norton City Council about county housing programs aimed at low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters, including a 5-year deferred forgivable loan for minor home repair, a weatherization grant and a first-home matching loan program.

The county’s small‑scale repair program serves owner‑occupied homes at or below 80% of area median income and uses Community Development Block Grant funds. The city secures its investment for five years; the loan forgives in equal portions during that period if the owner remains in the house as a primary residence. The county’s weatherization assistance program, which uses poverty guidelines to qualify applicants, covers items such as furnaces, hot water tanks, insulation, air sealing and refrigerators. Weatherization is a grant and is not secured by a loan. The county also described Lehi Safe Ohio, a state ARPA-funded grant to reduce lead hazards in homes built before 1978 that meet income guidelines; that program is also a grant and is limited to owner‑occupied properties.

For prospective buyers, the county’s First Home loan program offers a 3-to-1 match up to $12,000; funds are secured by a deferred loan due on sale or transfer for 30 years. The county said some of those First Home funds have been set aside for veterans and that some programs can be combined — for example, weatherization plus minor home repair and lead hazard remediation — when a home needs multiple interventions.

The county representative said intake specialists hold sessions at local libraries and that the county can schedule intake events at the Norton community center. The county is also running a housing research collaborative and “listening sessions” for stakeholders to help shape where future funding and programming should be targeted. Those listening sessions are not being recorded and are intended to gather candid input for planning.

Council members asked about veteran eligibility, senior‑specific programming and how to publicize the offerings. The county confirmed programs are strictly income‑qualified at the levels stated (80% AMI or poverty guidelines, depending on the program) and said it has designated some First Home dollars for veterans and will soon roll out an “aging in place” package for homeowners 62 and older that could include walk‑in showers, ramps and other accessibility improvements. The county offered to send PDF flyers for the city website and schedule intake specialists locally.

Council members and a resident who had used the program described a case in which a widow on a fixed income received a new roof and hot water tank and was able to remain in her home until she died; the speaker urged residents who need help to apply.

The county representative said program details and income guidelines are printed on distributed flyers and are subject to change; she offered to provide the council with PDFs for the city website.

The county presentation ran during the meeting’s program section and concluded with Council staff agreeing to receive the electronic materials for posting.