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Help for homeowners, new buyers

A number of home-repair and housing-counseling programs are in Phila. and its Pa. suburbs.

Many in the region are eligible for free home-repair and housing-counseling programs, but they may not know about them.

The Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations compiled a list of programs in the city and surrounding counties. (Next week: New Jersey programs.) Enrollment is based on available funds.

Philadelphia

The Basic System Repair Program provides free repairs to electrical, plumbing, heating and other critical systems of owner-occupied homes. Contact Philadelphia Housing Development Corp. at 215-448-3000 or www.phdchousing.org/bsrp.htm.

The Adaptive Modification Program provides free adaptations for increased access and mobility for disabled low-income people. Information: 215-448-2160 or http://goo.gl/bWYwU9.

The Senior Housing Assistance Repair Program provides free minor repairs to homes of elderly Philadelphians. Information: 215-765-9040 or http://goo.gl/jly4pt.

PHIL-Plus and Mini-PHIL Loans are home-improvement loans for those with less-than-perfect credit. Information: www.uac.org/phil-plus-and-mini-phil-loan-details.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) provides energy-bill assistance to low-income households. Information: 215-560-1583 or http://goo.gl/3JWnSh.

The Utility Emergency Services Fund gives emergency grants to help pay heating bills. Information: 215-972-5170 or www.uesfacts.org.

Heater Hotline offers free minor heater repairs for low-income homeowners through the Energy Coordinating Agency. Information: 215-568-7190 or http://goo.gl/gVUXLM. The agency also provides energy conservation and repair services to low-income households. Contact 215-609-1000 or http://www.ecasavesenergy.org.

The city's Office of Housing and Community Development offers free weatherization and energy-efficiency improvements to both owner-occupied and tenant-occupied units. Information: 215-448-2160 or http://goo.gl/iNLStj.

Bucks County

Contact the Bucks County Opportunity Council at 215-345-8175 or www.bcoc.org for energy assistance, weatherization, and eviction prevention.

For foreclosure prevention and housing counseling, contact the Bucks County Housing Group at 215-394-8259 or http://goo.gl/znHElj.

The county's First Time Homebuyer Program provides households earning less than 80 percent of the county median household income with down payment or mortgage-closing assistance (up to $10,000), repaid when the property is sold or refinanced, or the title is transferred. Information: 215-348-6000 or http://goo.gl/zjL17a. Its Housing Rehabilitation Program provides assistance to low-income homeowners for repairs in the form of loans up to $15,000. For lead-paint removal, assistance may increase to $30,000.

Montgomery County

The county's Housing Rehabilitation Program provides up to $45,000 to low- to moderate-income owners to repair houses they occupy. Its Homebuyers Assistance Program provides 10 percent of the sale value of a home, up to $10,000, for first-time buyers. Information: 610-278-3540 or http://goo.gl/7GbA9K.

For eviction prevention, contact the "Your Way Home Call Center" at 1-877-646-6306 or http://yourwayhome.org.

For housing counseling, contact GenesisHousing Corp. Information: 610-275-4357 or www.genesishousing.org.

For LIHEAP and weatherization help, contact the Montgomery County Community Action Development Commission at 610-277-6363 or http://www.cadcom.org.

Chester County

For home repairs, adaptive modifications or first-time home-buyer assistance, contact the Housing Partnership of Chester County at 610-518-1522 or www.housingpartnershipcc.com.

Delaware County

The county's Homeownership First Program offers counseling and up to $5,000 in down-payment and closing costs for qualifying first-time home buyers. Information: 610-891-5425 or www.co.delaware.pa.us/hcd/. The Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program provides low- and moderate-income homeowners with deferred loans of up to $15,000 for systems repairs.

For foreclosure prevention, contact Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania at 1-877- 429-5994 or www.lasp.org.

For weatherization help, contact the Community Action Agency of Delaware County at 610-891-5101 or www.caadc.org.