Fixing the Foundation
When flooding caused a foundation wall to collapse in an elderly gentleman’s home, he applied for a forgivable loan to pay for the much-needed repairs. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Home Finance Agency (MHFA) was hesitant to fund the project because the two repair bids provided gave very differing descriptions of the extent of work needed to make the home safe again, and damage looked severe and unsalvageable in the photos submitted by the client. That’s when Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (LSSMN) stepped in to help. They sent in a reconstruction manager who had the most experience with foundation work to reassess the home and compare the bids. The manager was able to provide MHFA an explanation of the more expensive bid as well as justification to go with the more economical bid without sacrificing safety. With this expert reassurance, MHFA was comfortable approving the loan for this project. Now, this gentleman is well on his way to having his home repaired.
LSSMN received a grant from the Midwest Early Recovery Fund to support their work, including database development and support, disaster case management services, reconstruction management, and volunteer coordination in response to floods in Minnesota.
