Like many Westminster residents, Laurie Brandt felt the financial impacts of the pandemic directly. She was already working reduced hours as a server at Kokopelli Beer Company when she discovered a completely flooded laundry room in her home. 

“My hot water heater was over 20 years old. I went down there and water was all over the laundry room floor. I knew exactly what it was,” she said. “At that point in time, the thought was ‘How in the heck am I going to do this? I don’t have the money for this.’” 

Luckily for Laurie, Westminster’sEmergency and Essential Home Repairs Program was able to save the day. The program provides up to $5,000 for eligible Westminster residents to tackle major issues in their home, such as electrical and plumbing systems, furnaces, water heaters and accessibility needs. The program is available to residents in owner-occupied households who earn up to 80% of area median income (AMI), which for a family of four is just under $80,000 a year. 

The City recently increased the total amount of money available in this program to $250,000 in order to meet the unprecedented need as families recover from the pandemic. 

“My first concern was would there be money available. That did occur to me,” Laurie said. “Fortunately, there were funds available and we were able to take care of it.” 

Laurie said she was able to quickly get in contact with a repair company, and the water heater was fixed the next day. 

The process for utilizing the program is quick and easy, and can be starting by making a phone call or sending an email.  

“The key thing is the ease of the process,” Laurie said. “Some people might be hesitant because they think it’ll be complicated process, but it was not a complicated process. It was very easy.” 

Westminster residents who would like to make essential home repairs through this program can learn more and get started here. 

Laurie’s advice to other residents is to take advantage of this resource and tell more neighbors about it because every dollar saved makes a difference. 

“Furnaces, hot water heaters, they’re pretty expensive. It means everything when you’re living paycheck to paycheck,” she said. 

And as for her hot water heater repair, “It’s great! Works like a charm now.”