The money will pay for upgrades such as roof replacement, vinyl siding and new heating systems for qualifying low- and moderate-income homeowners. The money will be split across 12 single-family homes and three two-family dwellings, according to housing specialist Sally Nolen.

The stimulus money comes in addition to the annual Community Development Block Grant the town receives, with this year's grant totaling $1.1 million. About half of the money, allocated based on population and the size and age of housing stock, pays for about 25 housing rehabilitation projects annually, with an emphasis made on projects correcting housing code violations and abating hazardous material such as lead paint.

Energy efficiency measures are lower on the list of priorities for the federal Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, the agency through which the grant money is received, Nolen said.

Housing rehabilitation projects are distributed to a list of registered contractors and the lowest bidder gets the work, unless there is a compelling reason to select a different contractor, said neighborhood resource coordinator Ed Sanady. If the lowest bidder is not selected for the work, the homeowner makes up the difference, he said.

Though there was no spike in demand that accompanied the windfall, the money was still able to be committed quickly because the projects selected were applied for in the last fiscal year, Sanady said. Though work has not yet started, all of the approvals, inspections, and bidding are complete.

"All of the work is supposed to be done by the end of the year, which is pretty fast," he said.
Community Services Director Rob Rowlson said that the program not only ensures the integrity of a neighborhood by improving the quality of its housing stock, but it also helps residents stay in their homes.

"When you have a home, you need to maintain that home in order to stay there," he said.