Are you a Seattle homeowner of a single-family dwelling? Do you meet the low-income guidelines established by the City of Seattle? Does your home need minor home repairs to make it a safe and healthy environment?

If you answered yes to all of the questions above, you could be eligible for high quality, reliable, low-cost repairs to your home through the Consolidated Minor Home Repair Program, sponsored by the City of Seattle, the Fremont Public Association and Senior Services of King County.

It's quite possibly the best kept secret in town!

Two FPA employees, Aziz Rahmani and George Curtis, provide nearly 500 repairs each year to eligible non-senior clients (under age 60). Senior Services of King County handles both the intake screening for all clients of the program and serves those clients age 60 and over.

Rahmani and Curtis are both skilled repair specialists who have worked for the FPA for the past several years. The agency and the Minor Home Repair Program's clients are fortunate to have the benefit of more than 35 years combined reapir experience between them.

Rahmani and Curtis are talented technicians able to provide nearly all of the repairs requested by clients, from plumbing to basic electrical and carpentry, as well as disabled access retrofits at very low rates.

The program's clients only pay $10 per hour or less, depending on income, for labor, plus the cost of needed materials. Rahmani and Curtis also work with clients to find the most economical solutions to repair problems.

As the program name indicates, repairs are limited to those minor in scope such as clogged drains, drips, leaks, broken outlets or lighting fixtures, broken windows, doors, locks, unsafe stairs and porches, bathroom grab bars, etc. Home repairs such as roof or structural damage or repairs to outbuildings or fences are beyond the scope of the program and are referred to other services.

Minor Home Repair Program clients are all income-eligible homeowners (living in the home - no landlords), in the Seattle city limits, needing any of the available repairs.

The goal of the program is the help keep homeowners housed in a safe and healthy environment. Rahmani and Curtis consistently receive wonderful feedback from the clients they serve.

In 1998, the Minor Home Repair Program served 35 different households, performing 103 individual jobs, in North Seattle, and a total of 106 different households, and 504 individual jobs, throughout the City. The total number of service hours performed throughout the City last year was 993.

Senior Services of King County is a non-profit community organization that helps over 60,000 seniors enjoy good health, self-esteem, companionship and stimulating activities through multiple services and centers.

The Fremont Public Association is also a non-profit community organization that provides more than 20 programs to help low-income people meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter, transportation and personal care for those who are disabled or ill.

For more information about the program, call 448-5751 or TDD 448-5025, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.