HF 318 (LSB 2311YH (5) 87)

HOUSE FILE 318

BY  HEATON

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a home modification grant program and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  16.55  Home modification grant program.
   1.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Accommodate” means to make a primary residence accessible for a qualified person in a manner that is necessary because of the qualified person’s age, disability, or condition.
   b.  “Medical provider” means a physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, physical therapist, or occupational therapist.
   c.  “Modifications or improvements” means modifications or improvements to a qualified person’s residence to accommodate the qualified person’s age, disability, or condition. A modification or improvement shall:
   (1)  Consist of one or more of the following:
   (a)  Providing for or installing no-step entrances.
   (b)  Providing for or installing exterior or interior ramps.
   (c)  Providing for or installing stairway lifts or elevators.
   (d)  Providing for or installing handrails or grab bars, or the reinforcement of grab bars.
   (e)  Providing for or installing hardware for doors.
   (f)  Widening exterior doors or interior hallways to more than thirty-six inches.
   (g)  Widening interior doors to more than thirty-two inches.
   (h)  Modifying electrical components, including moving electrical outlets and switches.
   (i)  Modifying bathrooms, including but not limited to providing for modification or installation of accessible toilets, bathtubs, showers, plumbing, and fixtures.
   (j)  Modifying kitchens including but not limited to providing for modification or installation of accessible countertops, cabinets, appliances, plumbing, and fixtures.
   (k)  Modifying bedrooms including but not limited to the relocation of a bedroom to an accessible space in the residence.
   (2)  Be certified by a medical provider as being necessary to accommodate the qualified person’s use of the residence.
   (3)  Consist of improvements to real property following a modification or installation under subparagraph (1).
   (4)  A modification or improvement shall not include the construction of a new residence, or an addition to or modification of an existing residence that expands its living area that is not otherwise described in this section.
   d.  “Qualified homeowner” means an owner of residential real property that is located in this state, including a condominium, that is the primary residence of the owner, who is a qualified person or resides with a spouse or dependent who is a qualified person.
   e.  “Qualified person” means a person who is at least sixty-five years of age, is living with a disability, as defined in 42 U.S.C. §12102, or has a chronic condition the progression of which will require a permanent modification to the qualified person’s residence.
   2.  A home modification grant program is established. The executive director shall administer the program and provide grants, in amounts not to exceed five thousand dollars, from moneys appropriated to the authority for purposes of the program to qualified homeowners for the purpose of making modifications and improvements to accommodate the use of a residence by a qualified person.
    Sec. 2.  HOME MODIFICATION GRANT PROGRAM APPROPRIATION.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the Iowa finance authority for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018, the following amount to be used for the purposes designated:
   For providing home modification grants pursuant to section 16.55 to qualified homeowners, and for administration of the home modification grant program:
   ...................................................................... $  6,000,000
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a home modification grant program (program) to be administered by the executive director of the Iowa finance authority. The executive director is required to provide grants, in amounts not to exceed $5,000, from moneys appropriated for the program to qualified homeowners for the purposes of making modifications and improvements to accommodate the use of a primary residence by a qualified person. 
   To receive a grant under the program, a qualified homeowner must be an owner of residential real property that is located in this state that is the primary residence of the owner, who is a qualified person, as defined in the bill, or resides with a spouse or dependent who is a qualified person. Under the bill, a qualified person is a person who is at least 65 years of age, is living with a disability, or has a chronic condition the progression of which will require a permanent modification to the qualified person’s residence.
   Under the bill, allowable modifications and improvements include providing for or installing no-step entrances, providing for or installing exterior or interior ramps, providing for or installing stairway lifts or elevators, providing for or installing handrails or grab bars, or the reinforcement of grab bars, providing for or installing hardware for doors, widening exterior doors or interior hallways to more than 36 inches, widening interior doors to more than 32 inches, modifying electrical components, including moving electrical outlets and switches, modifying bathrooms, kitchens, and bedrooms.
   The bill makes a one-time appropriation of $6 million from the general fund for FY 2018 to the Iowa finance authority to provide grants and to administer the program.