Bath Housing Development Corporation received a boost in its efforts to help senior residents age safely and comfortably in their homes when it received new funding for its Comfortably Home program.

MaineHousing awarded the nonprofit a $150,000 grant and expanded the income range for qualifying homeowners.

Founded by Bath Housing Executive Director Deb Keller, the program has served 300 senior homeowners throughout Sagadahoc County over the past eight years, making small safety repairs.

“The funding is critical, and we couldn’t be more grateful that MaineHousing continues to provide the foundation for this important program,” said Keller in a news release. “What may seem like a minor modification can have a dramatic and positive impact on a person’s ability to thrive in their home.”

New income qualifications for 2023 will make this program accessible to a larger group of seniors. Last year, annual income for a single-person household was capped at $48,950, but that’s now increasing to $61,180. Income eligibility for a two-person home was previously capped at $55,950 and has now risen to $69,920.

Keller said these changes were necessary because dollars don’t stretch the way they used to. She said in previous years, Comfortably Home spent up to $2,500 on repairs per home but now will allow for $3,000 per home to keep up with rising material costs.

Bath Housing has five maintenance workers on staff, while one employee, Matt Thompson, is dedicated solely to the senior home improvement program. Year-round, Thompson evaluates and upgrades homes located in Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Durham, Freeport, Georgetown, Lisbon, Litchfield, Phippsburg, Richmond, Sebasco, Topsham and Woolwich.

“One of the values of this program is that homeowners have access to labor that they couldn’t otherwise find,” Keller said. “It is extremely difficult to find a handyperson right now, especially for a small project like a grab bar installation.”

Keller said the program assisted 45 homeowners last year and plans to help the same number, if not more, this year.

Homeowners who meet the income qualifications and are 55 or older or have a disability can qualify for assistance. The program offers modifications including installing handrails and shower seats, repairing stairs and windows, weatherizing, and improving lighting.

To find out if you are eligible, contact Comfortably Home Coordinator Kristen McEvoy at kmcevoy@bathhousing.org or 295-3317.