The Newburgh Targeted Home Improvement Program (T-HIP), a newly announced program from RUPCO, provides financial resources to assist low to moderate-income homeowners in the 12550 zip code with home repairs. Grants for these home repairs can be up to $40,000 per household. The program officially opened on June 27.

RUPCO, an affordable housing development organization, has a history in the city with the construction of affordable housing units in 2018 known as East End I and East End II in 2023 with more housing units and the restoration of the former United Methodist Church.

The LYNC Lounge at the Highpoint Campus at 245 Liberty Street in the City of Newburgh served as the location for an informational session on the program where members of the RUPCO staff spoke with residents and families about the overall program, providing materials and applications for people interested in applying.

Nasihah Jones, Tenant and Community Relations Manager for RUPCO, was one of several staff members discussing with community members about the program, handing out additional materials for people to read and take the information back to their homes. “It [the program] just creates more opportunity for families to preserve their homes by way of revitalization, which is a good thing, because it improves the equity of their properties, and it just raises awareness,” said Jones. “It reinforces the idea that we are welcomed here, we belong here. It gives us a stake in the fight. And it creates more diversified conversations and brings more awareness and social awareness to the forces that are acting against us. I would tell my community, the City of Newburgh, to come out, be present, be a part of this positive change, this positive movement.”

According to the RUPCO website, rupco.org/newburgh-homeowners-grant/, with program description, an eligible participant of the program must be a 12550 zip code resident; owns and occupies the residential unit receiving assistance as a primary residence (vacation or second homes cannot be considered) and must be up to date on all school, land taxes, mortgage and homeowners insurance payments must be up to date. Permanent mortgage modifications to prevent foreclosure must be in place for at least 6 months.

A further requirement from the program is that the household gross income from all sources must not exceed a provided chart on the website. The chart on the website goes from a one person household with a $64, 300 income limit to an eight person household with a $121,250 income limit. This means that income must be reported for all household members who are over 18 and who are not full-time students. Faith Moore, Senior Vice President of Operations & Strategy for RUPCO expressed excitement with the program announcement. Moore holds Newburgh near and dear to her heart having once lived on Grand Street. She also stated that the program has no deadline and there is an open, rolling application period until the money is expended and allocated.

“I recognize that the homeowners that we’re helping with this [program] are low to moderate income, but all of us are still just one emergency away from needing that kind of assistance,” said Moore. “It’s an opportunity for this community for homeowners to build equity back into their homes where they’ve had to choose to buy groceries, or they’ve had to choose to pay for transportation to get to and from work, as opposed to doing repairs.”

“The fact that we can bring this money here into the City of Newburgh to help homeowners create equity in their homes is huge. It’s a sense of pride,” Moore continued. “We know that communities thrive when housing is affordable. So now we’re able to help maintain the existing affordable housing that is already here.”

Applications are available to Newburgh residents in both English and Spanish and can be found on the RUPCO website at rupco.org/newburgh-homeowners-grant/. For more information or questions, the person to contact is Caiya Davis at CDavis@rupco.org or by phone at (845) 713-4568 x 110.