A Jackson County wildfire survivor is in a new home after becoming the first homeowner to receive funding from the ReOregon Homeowner Assistance and Reconstruction Program (HARP).
The HARP program's funding comes from the federal $422 million Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery to help Oregonians and communities recover from the 2020 Labor Day Disasters.
The local homeowner -- who did not want to be identified -- said the new three-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home is a chance to start fresh and get back a sense of normalcy.
A federally-funded program launched in 2024, HARP provides qualified homeowners whose properties were damaged or destroyed by the wildfires and straight-line winds in September 2020 with financial assistance to repair, rebuild or replace their homes.
The local homeowner chose the Home Purchase Pathway, which allows eligible survivors to buy a stick-built or manufactured home that is already installed.
Oregon Housing and Community Services has received hundreds of HARP applications for assistance from every county affected by the disasters, and staff continue to review them for eligibility.
To learn more about HARP and other ReOregon programs, visit "re.oregon.gov."
