Financial Assistance

The County has financial assistance monies available to provide financial assistance in the form of a partial rebate to property owners who have completed a retrofit of an existing onsite system serving a residence. This program is dependent on available funds and the County may cease this program at any time.

Financial Assistance Advisory Committee

The Board of County Commissioners convened an advisory committee in February 2008 to provide recommendations for a financial assistance program.  This program is intended to help residents of south Deschutes County offset the costs of installing groundwater protection measures.  The County has identified about $35 million (see Financial Assistance Overview document below) to apply to drinking water protection actions in the region.

Pollution Reduction Credit Rebates

The Elk Horn Land Development PRC rebate program is currently on hold because they have purchased all the credits they need for their current phase of development. We will post updates to this program as they are available. If a property owner generates a PRC by upgrading their system, they will retain ownership of the PRC until such time that Elk Horn or other new neighborhood developer needs to start purchasing them. If you would like more information on whether your property is eligible for a PRC, please call the Environmental Health Division at (541) 388-6575.

Funds available for system upgrades

Two organizations assist homeowners with needed home improvements including improvements to onsite systems:

• NeighborImpact offers multiple home improvement programs that use Community Development Block Grants to provide needed health and safety housing repairs to homeowners in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties.  Each loan program offers homeowners a low interest, deferred loan secured by a note and a recorded trust deed. Homeowners must repay the loan once the house is rented, sold or refinanced. As loans are repaid, proceeds are returned to the program to provide loans for future homeowners. Currently the program services clients at or below 80% of county median income bracket. Projects include but are not limited to septic systems, roofs, heating systems, handicap accessibility, and exterior paint.
  For more information, contact NeighborImpact at (541) 316-2037 or visit the NeighborImpact website.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture has funds to help low income residents or fixed income seniors upgrade onsite systems through the home improvement loans and grants program. For more information, please call (541) 923-4358, ext. 130 or e-mail barrie.lasure@or.usda.gov.

Septic Upgrade Loan Program

Deschutes County has finalized a contract with NeighborImpact to expand a financial assistance program for property owners in southern Deschutes County who are required to upgrade their septic system with a nitrogen reducing system.

The new contract will create a separate lending pool for South Deschutes County residents who have been disqualified from the existing loan program due to mortgage delinquency, inadequate equity and other factors.
 
Deschutes County will provide $60,000 during FY 2010-11 to fund the septic system loan program.  The new loan program is made possible through the County’s Groundwater Partnership Fund.
 
NeighborImpact will continue to act as the contractor for administering both loan programs.