Guam man’amko boosted by RD’s housing grants

GUAM—The Rural Development’s Section 504 Rural Housing Grant Program has helped three elderly women make their homes safe, secure and accessible.

Maria Garrido, a 76-year-old resident of Agat, Guam; Lourdes Babauta, 66, also a resident of Agat; and Magdalena S.N. Bayani, a 90-year-old widow, all have something in common. They all live on a limited income, they all had serious concerns about their safety in their own homes and all were in need of financial assistance to renovate, repair, and improve their homes.

Due to Garrido’s elderly condition, it became much more difficult for her to safely move around her home. The interior walls were riddled with damage, and the kitchen sink had leaking valves and was becoming increasingly inaccessible for her. Additionally, the bathroom was an area that posed an immediate danger for her as she had experienced numerous falls while attempting to take a shower. Her daughter, Mary, was truly concerned for her mother’s safety and continued ability to remain in her own home.

In Babauta’s case, she had a one-bedroom home in the village of Agat that was in dire need of repair work. The windows of her home were never completed and the door jams were warped, prohibiting the door from locking properly, which caused Babauta great concern for her safety and security. Her power meter and wiring were connected by an extension cord running from the pedestal, to the home itself, risking fire, electrocution, and shock. Every electrical appliance, including her lamps, were connected to a labyrinth of extension cords. Babauta lives on a fixed retirement income and tried very hard to save a little money every month in an attempt to complete any repairs she could afford.

Bayani had fallen down several times because of the steep and slippery slope in front of her home. She received several bumps and bruises from those falls and now has to use a walking cane. At the age of 90, she wanted to be able to once again enjoy the freedom of walking around the outside of her house without the fear of falling.

The USDA Rural Development was able to assist each of these elderly ladies through Section 504 Rural Housing grants.

Rural Development provided a $7,350 grant to Garrido to make the much-needed repairs to correct the many safety and health hazards of her home. Through the grant and the assistance of the Guam Hope Foundation, a non profit organization, Garrido’s dream of making her home safe and accessible for her was realized. “It’s a miracle to find this assistance because my husband had passed away and the repairs were usually handled by him,” she said.

Babauta also found out about the USDA Rural Development’s RH 504 Grant Program through the Guam Hope Foundation. Rural Development provided a $7,400 grant to Babauta to improve the safety and security vulnerabilities in her home. Previously, her home had to be boarded up with plywood every time she left, in order to prevent both rain and thieves from entering her home! Whenever a storm approached the area, she would be forced to leave her home to weather the storm at a more secure structure.

With the assistance of Carlos Camacho from Micronesian Self-Help Corp., a non-profit organization, Bayani found out about Rural Development’s Home Repair Grant Program. She was able to receive a grant to hire a contractor, who constructed a hand rail and a concrete walkway ramp at the cost of $6,659.

“Without the USDA Rural Development’s grant, I would not have been able to make my home’s front access safe for me and my family,” says Bayani.

Garrido’s enthusiasm for her home improvements was clear during the final inspection of her home when she embraced USDA Rural Development’s Area Assistant Mary Jo Quenga. Garrido proudly pointed to the brand new, functioning doors of the house and explained how secure she now feels in her own home. The kitchen was renovated to include new counters and a lowered sink to allow her easier access. The renovated bathing area now has a safety chair, and two supporting stainless steel bars for her use, as well as a brand new showerhead. The relief of having safety features in the bathroom for her mother is apparent in her daughter Mary’s smile as she no longer has to worry about her elderly mother falling while bathing.

The Garrido family expressed their warm and genuine thanks to USDA Rural Development and the Guam Hope Foundation for being very accommodating to Garrido’s needs. Garrido also expressed appreciation for project contractor Peter Pareja. “He is one of our family now,” she said. “I will never ever forget the help all of you gave to me and my family. Thank you.”

Babauta conveyed a smile of pride as the final inspection of all repairs to her home were conducted. She walked around the house and pointed to her eight new windows with sliding screens to keep the house cool in the heat of the day. There are no more hanging extension cords leading to the power meter and a new door has been installed with a security screen door.

Babauta chuckled gleefully as she flicked the light switch on, noting the new outlets and light fixtures made possible from the electrical repairs. “It was a miracle finding this assistance!” she said. “I tell all my loved ones how you have helped me, and I tell them to apply to USDA Rural Development if they need repairs.”

Bayani too is very pleased and said: “I am so happy that my home is safer.” She is excited about Rural Development’s assistance that is available for the elderly and has informed friends, neighbors and relatives. She no longer fears injuring herself and is proud that she no longer needs her daughter or her grandchildren’s assistance while walking up and down the slope in front of her home. This program has improved her life by making her home safer and helping her maintain her independence.

According to Lorraine P. Shin, USDA Rural Development’s Hawaii State Director, “The delivery of the housing programs in the Western Pacific is consistent with USDA Rural Development’s commitment to improving the quality of life for low-income persons in rural areas—one homeowner, one rural community at a time.”

USDA Rural Development’s mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents. As a venture capital entity, Rural Development has invested over $63 billion since the beginning of the Bush administration to provide equity and technical assistance to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure. As a result, over 1.1 million jobs have been created or saved through these investments.

Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA’s web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov. The agency’s Section 504 Home Repair Program assists homeowners, especially the elderly, with very low income, an opportunity to improve their quality of life.

In Guam, if you would like information on this program or any of USDA Rural Development’s wide range of programs, contact Joseph Diego, Area Manager; Steve Cruz, Area Specialist; or Mary Jo Quenga, Area Assistant at 671-472-7361. (PR)