Services for Seniors in Washtenaw County

Our Aging in Place Home Improvement Program is built around the principle of providing older adults with improvements and modifications to help them age safely and comfortably in their home. Older adults who participate in the program receive repairs that make their homes safe, lower their utility bills and give them peace of mind while working with a trusted partner.

Furnace Test & Tune Program

You may qualify for a free tune-up of your furnace and free installation of energy saving measures. If your furnace is unsafe or un-repairable, you may qualify for a replacement furnace at a significantly reduced cost.

Qualifications

To see if you qualify for a FREE diagnostic test & tune-up of your furnace and for installation of FREE energy saving measures, please review these requirements:

1. Live in greater Washtenaw County, Michigan area

2. Own your home (rental homes, condos and multiple-residence structures are not eligible)

3. Have a natural gas fueled, forced air furnace in your home (boilers are not eligible; electric furnaces & heating-oil or propane fueled furnaces are not eligible)

4. Use DTE for BOTH your natural gas and electric services

5. Cannot have had a furnace tune up through the DTE program in the last 2 years (exceptions may be made in cases where the furnace is not working)

6. Meet Income Eligibility requirements below*

Eligibility

Annual household income must not exceed the maximum amounts shown below, based on household size OR a household member must have participated in one of the qualified assistance programs listed in the past 12 months.  You will be required to provide proof of income and/or participation in a qualified assistance program to be considered for the program*.

Gross Income – Income before taxes and other deductions are subtracted

Household Annual Income – gross income of all adults living in the household (18+ years old)

Household Size – number of persons living in the household, regardless of age

Qualified Assistance Program – State or Federally funded income-qualified assistance programs:

▫ DHS (Department of Human Services)                                     ▫ SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

▫ FIP (Family Independence Program)                                        ▫ TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

▫ LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)      ▫ THAW (The Heat & Warmth Fund)

▫ SDA (State Disability Assistance)                                             ▫ WAP (Weatherization Assistance Program)

▫ SER (State Emergency Relief)                                                  ▫ WIC (Women, Infants & Children)

*Examples of income documentation must represent at least 30 days’ worth of income and might include: paystub(s), benefit award letter, participation letter, bank statement showing direct deposit or W2/tax return for the most recent year available. *Income guidelines may vary based on funder requirements.

If any adult in the household has no income, or if their income is not documented in an easily transmitted format, an Income Statement will be required.   Income Statements are automatically created when you use the online enrollment and ‘No Income’ is indicated.  A sample is available by clicking on the link below if you are not completing the online enrollment.

Manufactured Homeowners must also provide proof of ownership in the form of a Title or recent mortgage statement.

You will be able to upload up to 4 documents with your online enrollment, or you may provide them separately by:
Email: furnace@h4h.org
Fax: 734.215.9843
Mail: Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley
ATTN: Furnace Test & Tune Program
950 Victors Way, Suite 50
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

If You Qualify

Once you have submitted your enrollment and supporting documents, Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley will review it for eligibility.  If you qualify, a Habitat and DTE approved Heating & Cooling contractor will contact you to schedule your Test & Tune appointment. Work performed by the Heating & Cooling contractors will include the following:

• Visual inspection of equipment to determine overall condition

• Clean burners, combustion changer and heat exchanger surface, when accessible

• Clean and inspect burner orifices and ignition system

• Check for proper venting and adequate combustion air, based on code

• Check and test safety controls

• Inspect filter – replace 1” and 2” filters, and/or clean washable filters

• Run equipment through complete sequence of operation

Additional Energy-Saving measures, provided by Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley, will be delivered based on your needs and eligibility (as determined by DTE Energy).  These may include:

• Programmable Thermostat

• Showerhead (1.5 gallons per minute flow rate)

• Kitchen & Bathroom faucet aerators (1.0 gallons per minute flow rate)

• Up to 20 LED light bulbs (must replace existing incandescent or CFL light bulbs)

Refrigerator Replacement Program

Qualifications

1. You must live in Southeast Michigan and live in a single family residence

2. You must be a DTE Residential Electric customer

3. You must provide a recent copy of your DTE bill

4. Your existing refrigerator must have been manufactured before January 2015*

5. You must agree to have your old refrigerator removed by one of our Retail Partners and replaced with an Energy Star refrigerator

6. Your annual household income must not exceed the maximum amounts shown below OR have a household member participating in one of the following qualified assistance programs:

   DHS (Department of Human Services)              FIP (Family Independence Program)        
   SER (State Emergency Relief) SSI (Supplemental Security Income)                  
   WIC (Women, Infants & Children)                      SDA (State Disability Assistance)
   THAW (The Heat & Warmth Fund)                     WAP (Weatherization Assistance Program)
   TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)                 
   LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program)

7. You must provide documentation to support either the household income or the participation in one of the programs above. Examples include paystub(s), award letter, bank statement, participation letter, proof of eligibility. You will be asked to upload, email, fax or mail this documentation to Habitat.

*To determine the age of your refrigerator, locate the model number and serial number (typically found inside your refrigerator or outside on the lower front of your refrigerator) and then go to Appliance411 at https://homespy.io/ to determine its age. 

*Income guidelines may vary based on funder requirements

disclaimers

Quantities are limited
Refrigerators are available on a first-come, first-served basis
Program may end at any time

Questions? Contact Christine at 734-358-8100 or ref@h4h.org

Critical Home Repair & Weatherization

Most of our critical repairs take place in neighborhoods in Ypsilanti with a focus on Gault Village, Sugarbrook and West Willow.  We have partnered with Ypsilanti Township to help homeowners with critical repairs and energy savings, and to develop programs for residents in the community including community gardens, tool lending sheds, yard clean up, dumpster days and more. 

Everyone deserves a safe and healthy place to live, and Habitat for Humanity Huron Valley may be able to help you if you are struggling.  If you would like to learn more about our programs, please call us at (734) 263-2317 or email Martha Davis at martha@h4h.org.  Please be sure to tell us how you learned about our programs.

Veterans Programs

Veteran Critical Repairs and Weatherization

Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley offers the following home improvement programs to Veterans and their families who own their homes in Washtenaw County:

ENERGY SAVINGS

• Free Refrigerator Replacement – click here to learn more

• Free Furnace Test & Tune – click here to learn more

CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS        

• Roof Replacement

• Walk-in Shower

• Modification and Accessibility Improvements

• Exterior Clean Up

• Pre and Post Energy Audits

Veterans Home
Ownership Program

Newly renovated, energy-efficient Habitat homes are sold to veterans who qualify and are
approved for our program. Prospective home buyers who partner with Habitat are community-minded residents who are looking for the stability of homeownership.

We renovate empty houses with community partners and sponsors and then turn them into homes by offering an affordable mortgage to our prospective home buyers. Ultimately, we build much more than houses – the impact of homeownership is profound and lasting. It’s a program that works!

Interested in becoming a Habitat homeowner?
Click here to review our requirements and income guidelines, and sign up for our next application meeting!

Other Resources

Below are additional resources to empower and help the local veteran community:

T-Mobile Military & Veterans Program (Discounted rates, jobs and volunteer opportunities)

Vets 4 Warriors

Washtenaw County Department of Veteran’s Affairs

United Way of Washtenaw County offers a 2-1-1 helpline to assist with food, housing, financial assistance, utility assistance and more. Click here to connect or learn more.