Older Homes
Create Modern Day Crisis

by Lori
(Pierre, SD, USA)

While I am not seeking funding for myself, I am seeking it for a family member. With less than a year left to pay before he can officially call a two-bedroom house that is +100 years old (with +100 years worth of problems) his, the sewer system has finally collapsed.


Because the individual is buying the house, it is his burden. Because he receives disability benefits and is not fit for work he has no finances to pay repair costs. In no way, financially or physically, is he capable of doing these repairs himself.


Citizens just like him are living without water, sewer and electricity in older, run-down homes because they do not have enough money to fix problems inherent to older homes.


Am I or am I not talking about disability modifications? Let's face it, sewage, plumbing, water, broken concrete and all the other pitfalls of older homes create their own hazards. Still we don't provide grants to take care of such basic needs.


Adding insult to injury, we create laws that require these individuals to fix like problems or face losing what little they have been able to attain/retain.


It is sad when we, as a society, choose to ignore the disabled and elderly individuals in such crisis situations.


I am not talking about some third world country. It is happening here, in our own back yard of the United States.


Why are there no grants available for home repair and improvement to fix problems like these so that our disabled/elderly friends and neighbors can have at least the basics necessary to live a modest life, in their older homes?