Jun. 5—Homeowners in unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County may now apply for up to $50,000 in grants from the county to repair their homes and remediate hazards such as PFAS contamination of private wells.

The county will award grants to low- and moderate-income homeowners on a first come, first served basis. The initiative — called the Home Rehabilitation and Energy Efficiency Grant Program, intended to preserve affordable housing — has an initial $1 million budget.

To qualify, people must live in Santa Fe County communities outside the city limits of Santa Fe, Edgewood and Española. They also must own the property where they want to make repairs and must earn at or below 100% of the area’s median income for their household size.

Eligible rehabilitation projects include improvements to the envelope of a home, such as the replacement of roofs, windows and stucco or siding, as well as hazard remediation projects, such as water testing and filtration systems for private wells.

Later this year, the county will expand eligible improvements to include connecting homes to public utility systems and installing energy efficiency upgrades such as solar power, high-efficiency building fixtures, low-flow toilets, smart thermostats and aerators, the county said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Eventually, the program will be one of the most comprehensive rehabilitation programs in New Mexico, the news release said.

To apply, complete a grant application at tinyurl.com/26sfd643 or request a printed copy of application.

Applications must include the following documents:

* Verification of income, such as copies of pay stubs or the most recent tax return.

* Verification of ownership, such as a warranty deed or property tax bill.

* Verification of the primary place of residence, such as copies of utility bills.

* Verification of mortgage loans, home equity loans and property taxes, such as a tax certification.

* A statement of need explaining the reason for requesting assistance with a qualified project.

The county will take up to two weeks to process each application and will then send a letter to all applicants, the county said.

For more information, contact housing specialist Donna Dean at 505-992-3040 or dbradley@santafecountynm.gov.