nrcshhm-National Directory of Home Modification Resources-New Jersey

Welcome to your state/community home modification forum. This forum has been created to give you an opportunity to learn about and contribute to your state's home modification profile.

Where to Get Help:

There are several ways to modify and repair your home. You can: 1) do it yourself, or get a friend or relative to help; 2) hire a handyman or contractor; 3) contact a home modification and repair program. In addition to the programs listed in the Directory, programs can be located through your:

Local area agency on aging
State department on aging
State housing finance agency
Department of public welfare
Department of housing and community development
Senior center Independent living center

Also, consider taking these steps:

Get recommendations from friends who have had similar projects completed.
Hire a licensed and bonded contractor. Be specific about changes you wish to make in advance.
Ask for a written agreement with only a small down payment. Make the final payment only after the project is completed.
Check with your local better business Bureau regarding the contractor's or program's reliability and performance record.

Other Resources:

The NeighborWorks® network is a national network of 220 community-based organizations that helps low- and moderate-income families rent, purchase, and maintain safe, affordable homes. The NeighborWorks® network also revitalizes communities through resident leadership and private and public partnerships.

To locate NeighborWorks® network partner that might offer assistance with home modifications, visit www.nw.org and click on Network Directory. Type in the CITY and select the STATE, then click on ORGANIZATION SEARCH. You can also try calling the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation at (202) 220-2300.

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Some local housing agencies utilize portions of their CDBG program to pay for various kinds of home modifications. To contact your local CDBG grantee, call the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at (202) 708-1112.

On the website, click on a state to view contact information for the CDBG grantee in that area.

Bayonne

BAYONNE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION WEATHERIZATION
Address	555 Kennedy Boulevard, Box 1032 Bayonne, NJ 07002-1032
Director	Eleanor Tiefenwerth, Executive Director
Phone Number	(201) 437-7222
Sponsor	Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation
Date established	1965
Primary target population	Senior citizens and disabled persons
Number of Persons Served/year	55
No. of paid staff	5 full-time
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Locks, deadbolts, door viewers, windows, grab-bars
Total Budget	$37,500
Funding Source(s)	Community Development Block Grant * Coordinates with Area Agency on Aging:
Special Features	* Coordinates with the City Community Development Block Grant program, and public services such as electricity and gas "Seal Up" programs, to assure client receives maximum benefits from all program

Englishton

Accessibility Design Associates
Contact Person	Patrick Sherwood
Address	28 Harrison Avenue #234 Englishton, NJ 7726
Phone Number	732-786-9244
E-mail	psherw1711@aol.com
Date established	1990
Primary target population	Wheelchair users
No. of persons served/year	250
No. of paid staff	8
Most Common modification/Repairs Provided	Lifts, bathrooms

Freehold

Emergency Home Repair and Barrier Free Program
Contact Person	Rich Dalfonzo
Address	PO Box 3000 Kozloski Road Freehold, NJ 7728
Phone Number	732-431-7999
Sponsor	Monmouth County Division of Social Services
Date established	1997
Primary target population	Low-Income Homeowners
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	at least 60%
No. of persons served/year	230
No. of paid staff	2
Most Common modification/Repairs Provided	Furnace, roof replacements, and repairs.
Type of Assessment	House Inspections
Assessor	Supervisor, masons, and master carpenter
Total Budget	$355,000
Funding Source(s)	HUD-CDBG, NJ Department of Community Affairs: Title III
Special Features	Barrier free services

Hackensack

CHORE SERVICE
Address	Volunteer Center of Bergen County 64 Passaic Street Hackensack, NJ 07601
Director	Stacey Benjamin, Program Director
Phone Number	(201) 489-7790
Homepage	Volunteer Center of Bergen County
Date established	1977
Primary target population	Older homeowners, apartment dwellers or disabled of any age
Number of Persons Served/year	970
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	100%
No. of paid staff	7 part-time
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Plumbing, weatherization, doors and windows, railings, and grab-bars.
Total Budget	$109,677
Funding Source(s)	Title III - Older Americans Act Community Development Block Grant Fundraising County Department of Human Services In-kind Client payments for product. * Coordinates with Area Agency on Aging * Sponsored by United Way
Special Features	* Presents information and special programs at fairs to educate seniors, the disabled, and others about their service * Uses senior volunteers exclusively as the service crew * Organizes a Volunteer Center Recognition Reception each year to recognize the volunteers as a group * Purchases tools with funds from volunteers' former employers * Established a data base that helps to compile required reports related to various funding sources with eas

Hewitt

ALTERNATIVES TO BARRIERS
Contact Person	Christopher Lynch, President
Address	623 Lake Shore Drive Hewitt, NJ 07421
Phone Number	(973) 853-7042
Date established	1985
Number of Persons Served/year	40
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	30%
No. of paid staff	3 full-time, 2 part-time
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Home assessment for modification
Funding Source(s)	Client payments
Special Features	* Private firm that does consultations through clients' insurance carriers * Specializes in the design of barrier free, wheelchair accessible environments on commercial and residential level

Morristown

MOBILITY CONSULTING AND CONTRACTING COMPANY
Contact Person	Barrett D. Kolton, President
Address	176 Morris Street Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone Number	(973) 984-6650
Date established	1988
Primary target population	Wheelchair users
Number of Persons Served/year	50
No. of paid staff	1 full-time, 2 part-time
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Home evaluations, miscellaneous minor repairs, major modifications
Type of Assessment	Functional/environmental
Provides Education/Training	Yes, Program targets clients statewide
Special Features	* Offers "in-service" programs for case managers, occupational therapists, and insurance companies to discuss wheelchair barriers, construction modifications, and equipment * Provides comprehensive assessment evaluations of existing problems in the home, optional ways to overcome them, and cost estimates for each option

Northfield

Atlantic County Division of Intergenerational Services
Contact Person	Kathleen Quish, Dir. of Dept. of Aging
Address	Atlantic County, D.I.G.S. Shoreview Building Room 101 S. Shore Rd. Northfield, NJ 08225-2359
Phone Number	609-645-7700 x 4519
Fax	609-645-5940
Date established	1970
Primary target population	Over the age of 60 years old, low income, minority, and frail individuals.
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	90%
No. of persons served/year	300
No. of paid staff	3
Most Common modification/Repairs Provided	Doors, windows, screens, grab bars, and handrails.
Type of Assessment	Functional and Environmental
Assessor	Staff
Provides Education/Training	Federal and State
Cost To Client	Material Costs

Rio Grande

SAFE HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION
Contact Person	Carole Lennox
Address	Dept. of Aging Social Services Bldg. 4005 Rt. 9 South Rio Grande, NJ 08242
Phone Number	(609) 886-2784
Sponsor	Cape May County Department of Aging (AAA)
Date established	1988
Primary target population	Older residents
Number of Persons Served/year	25+
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	100%
No. of paid staff	0
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Locks, door viewers, window bars, deadbolts
Type of Assessment	Functional/environmental
Provides Education/Training	Yes
Total Budget	$37,306
Funding Source(s)	Casino Revenue Funds * Coordinates with State Unit on Aging
Special Features	* Arranges safe housing and security programs by Crime Officers of the County Sheriff's Department for 30 senior clubs and six county senior site

Toms River

Adaptive Home Safety Accessibility Inc.
Address	PO Box 1209 Toms River, NJ 08753
Director	James Cino, Director, Occupational Therapist
Phone Number	(877) 870-SAFE
Email	ahsa@bellatlantic.net
Date established	January 19, 1999
Primary target population	Geriatric, Disabled, Deaf, Caregivers of children and adults
Number of Persons Served/year	TBA
No. of paid staff	2
Funding Source(s)	fee for service
Special Features	Occupational therapy, interpreter for the Deaf, home child-proofing

Union City

WEATHERIZATION SERVICE
Address	North Hudson Community Action Corporation 5301 W. Broadway Union City, NJ 07093
Director	Michael A. Leggiero, Executive Director
Phone Number	(201) 866-2388
Sponsor	North Hudson Community Action Corporation
Date established	1983
Primary target population	Low-income residents
Number of Persons Served/year	29
Percentage of Clients Aged 60 Years+	75%
No. of paid staff	1 full-time
Most Common Modification/Repairs Provided	Weatherization
Provides Education/Training	Yes
Total Budget	$23,813
Funding Source(s)	Public Service Electric Gas
Special Features	* Provides energy conservation workshops for clients