Attention Apple Valley Homeowners

The City of Apple Valley, in partnership with the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) and the Dakota Area Resources and Transportation for Seniors (DARTS), is offering a variety of home maintenance and improvement programs for seniors and residents. They include:

DARTS Outdoor Chore Service Program 
This program provides assistance to older residents with heavy chores and outdoor yard work such as raking leaves, snow shoveling, lawn mowing, cleaning gutters, touch-up painting, weeding gardens, packing boxes, and cleaning garages and basements. The Chore Service workers will perform work from a stepladder (6-foot ladder or smaller; no extension ladders). They will not use power equipment while on the ladder. Chore workers are not available to apply chemical treatment to lawns or gardens. The cost for this service program is based upon your income and type of work you request. Contact DARTS at 651-455-1560.

CDA Home Improvement Loan Program  
The Home Improvement Loan program assists low and moderate income homeowners with making repairs and improvements to their homes. Funds are commonly used for furnace replacement, electrical and plumbing repairs, adding insulation, exterior upgrades and special needs improvements (such as ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications).

Features of the program include 0% interest and no monthly payments. The loans are not forgiven and become payable when ownership changes or you move from the property. You may have to repay the loan if you refinance your home, or take out a home equity loan. The minimum loan amount is $15,000, and the maximum is $25,000.

Eligible applicants must own their home, have sufficient equity in the property, a satisfactory credit history and a gross annual income within the program income limits. The income limits start at $45,000 (for a one-person household) and range up to $85,000 (for an 8+ person household).
Additional information on the Home Improvement Loan program and applications can be found at "www.dakotacda.org". To obtain additional information, or to request an application by mail, please call Mark Hanson at 651-675-4469.

Energy Assistance Program  
This program is administered by the Scott-Carver-Dakota CAP Agency, which provides grants to help income qualified homeowners pay their heating bills. For information or to request an application for the Energy Assistance Program, please contact the CAP Agency at 651-322-3500.

Weatherization Assistance Program    
This program is administered as a joint effort between the CAP Agency and the CDA, and provides income qualified homeowners a grant to help make their home more energy efficient. Grant funds are used to insulate attics or walls or to upgrade furnaces. Households who have applied to and are eligible for the Energy Assistance Program are automatically referred to the Weatherization Program. The income limits are $22,340 (for a one-person household) and up to &77,780 (for an 8+ person household).

If you qualify for the Weatherization Assistance Program, the CDA's Energy Specialist will conduct an energy audit on your home to determine solutions to improve your home's energy efficiency. The CDA will assist you in selecting a qualified contractor to complete the work. Payment is made directly to the contractor on you behalf when the work is completed and after the CDA has inspected the work. For information about the Weatherization Assistance Program, call 651-675-4554.