(From Putnam County Habitat for Humanity)

Putnam County Habitat for Humanity (PCHFH) is now accepting applications for Critical Home Repair (CHR). Applicants must be at or below 80% of the current low income limits and repairs are limited to the home living space. No garages or outbuilding repairs will be considered.

Interested Putnam County residents must complete the Critical Home Repair application located at www.putnamohhabitat.org and submit it with the income documentation:

• Employment: two months (8 weeks) pay stubs, or if a new position, a verification of employment form from a third-party verification source or signed by the employer.
• Self-Employment: the two most recent signed federal tax returns with all schedules or the most recent signed federal tax return plus the current year’s profit and loss statement signed by the income earner.
• Child support or alimony: a court order or divorce decree (dated in any year), a notarized statement from the payer to the payee, or a payment history report from a child support enforcement agency.
• Pension/retirement: two consecutive pay stubs, an award letter (dated in any year), IRS Form 1099, or the most recent two months of pension/retirement account statements.
• Social Security or disability: IRS Form 1099-SSA, an award letter, or a payment history or other print out from the Social Security Administration.
• Unemployment compensation: a government issued payment history.
• Other Government Programs: a benefit notification letter signed by the authorizing agency or a government agency payment history.
• Zero income: household members age 18 or over self-certifies to zero income using a certification form.

PCHFH also requires statements or verification letters showing:

• Cash Held in Checking Accounts (6 month average balance)–provide 6 months of checking account bank statements.
• Cash Held in Savings Accounts (2 month average balance)–provide 2 months of savings account bank statements.
• Cash Value of Revocable Trusts Available to you–Provide documentation that shows the cash value of any revocable trust provided to the family.
• Equity in Rental Property or Other Capital Investments–Provide documentation that shows the asset value, as well as any amounts owed for loans secured on the property. Assets can be valued using an auditor’s valuation or appraisal.
• Cash Value of Stocks, Bonds, Treasury Bills, Certificates of Deposit, Mutual Funds and Money Market Accounts–Provide documentation showing the most recent valuation of these accounts/assets as close to the time of indicated income verification date.
• Individual Retirement, 401K and Keogh Account Available to You (even if withdrawals would result in penalty)–Provide documentation showing the value of the accounts. If the you are making occasional withdrawals from the account, provide 6 months of statements
• Retirement & Pension Funds (only funds accessible for withdrawal by employee)
• Cash Value of Whole Life & Universal Life Insurance available to you before death: Provide statement indicating value and penalty for withdrawal.
• Personal Property Held as an Investment: Include documentation justifying valuation of asset.
• Provide statements or verification letters showing Lump Sum or One-Time Receipts (not intended as periodic payments) of these assets. 
• Mortgage or Deed of Trust: Provide legal documentation of agreement as well as a 6 month payment history.

Please return all documents to Putnam County Habitat for Humanity, 150 N. Oak Street, Ottawa, OH 45875. By providing this information, applicants are not only verifying their financial eligibility for the PCHFH CHR program, they are providing the documentation necessary for PCHFH to locate and secure grant funding for as much of the repair project as possible. A limited amount of grant funding is available yet for 2025. Applications for projects that are eligible for 2025 funding must be received by October 17, 2025. Call PCHFH at 419-523-9621 with questions.