Home Modification Program Helps Home Owners

May 7, 2015

“It was hard and frustrating to leave the house. I used to worry about how I would get out of the building if there was a fire.” Dallas resident "Ms. A." has lived in her apartment for over 10 years, and has had to struggle with a series of stairs to get in and out of her apartment using her wheelchair. After finding out about the North Texas Fair Housing Center’s Home Modification Program, she was able to get a ramp installed leading up to her front door, and also had a new accessible shower installed in her bathroom. “I really appreciate the improvements,” she said, “It was such a blessing.”                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                  

Many low income home owners struggle to pay for necessary modifications to their homes when they or a loved one need to use a wheelchair or a walker to get around. "Mrs. M" struggled to help her husband simply bathe when he suffered a series of strokes and was diagnosed with Dementia. “It was so difficult to get my husband in the shower,” Mrs. M. said. “I had to hold him up when he got into the tub, but even that became impossible when he couldn’t walk anymore. Then he needed help to use the toilet. I was happy to help him, but it was so much trouble.” Now Mr. and Mrs. M. have a newly remodeled accessible bathroom and a ramp that leads to the front door. “Now it’s wonderful, wonderful people like you are out there, you just have to pick up the phone,” Mrs. M. said of the North Texas Fair Housing Center.