Most residents know the Community Action Agency of St. Louis County as the go-to organization for financial assistance with utility bills. George Robnett, director of Housing and Support Services at CAASTLC says the organization offers much more for qualifying residents throughout St. Louis County – from Spanish Lake to Lemay.
Through dollar- matching savings program, Robnett said CAASTLC help residents save money that they can use to toward purchasing a home, educational expenses, transportation or to even to start a business. It is called Individual Development Accounts.
“Basically, that is a match for anyone who makes deposits into a savings account , then that is matched, dollar-for-dollar,” Robnett explained. At the end of the savings plan agreement, residents have doubled their savings.
“A lot of times, an individual is able to save $1,000 -$2,000 and they actually can realize up to $4,000 in matched funds from our agency to help them start a business, buy equipment, buy a home, et cetera.”
CAASTLC serves clients who are low income, and agency services are provided at no cost to the client.
“We are funded from the state to community level, through [state] Community Services Block Grant funds. That is one of our primary sources of funding,” Robnett said. “For our weatherization programs, we are also funded by the [Missouri] Department of Economic Development, Department of Energy,” Robnett said. “We are also recipients of funding through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines and St. Louis County Office of Community Development for home repairs.”
On average, Robnett said the agency weatherizes 350 to 400 homes each year.
“On average, we spend from $7,000 to $8,000 on each home that we weatherize. That’s a huge impact on a home, because many of these homes that we do weatherization on – that means they get new furnaces, they sometimes get new hot water heaters … they get all the energy efficiency equipment installed that help their home … which make their homes much more energy efficient.”
CAASTLC is a certified HUD counseling agency. Robnett said all of its contractors are vetted and the agency has six certified energy auditors.
“On average, they can expect a $430 to $480 reduction in their annual utility costs, which is huge for a low income family,” he added.
Robnett said a lot of its focus is currently in communities in North St. Louis County.
“On average right now, we are doing about $12,000 in home repairs to homes throughout St. Louis County. Some of the funds are targeted, however, to the areas of Jennings, Dellwood and Ferguson,” he said. “Then we are coming right behind that and we are doing weatherization services to those homes. You can anticipate that each of these homes are receiving up to $20,000 or greater in actual home repairs and improvements.”
Qualifying for services of the CAASTLC depends on annual income and the number of persons in the family. 826- Robnett said an individual can make up to $24,000 per year and qualify for services; for a family of four, it is $48,600 and for a family of six, the income level is $65,000.
“If they fall at or below those income guidelines, 99 percent of the time, we will be able to assist them,” Robnett said.
The Community Action Agency of St. Louis County is a part of Money Smart and Unbanked Task Force.
“We do provide financial literacy workshops on an ongoing basis – anywhere from how to buy a home to how to buy a car; credit counseling; to how to improve one’s credit,” Robnett said. He said it’s a process for families that could take up to two years.
“Many times, when we get families or individuals into our program, it is a process … to get them to a position where they have secured the funding, completed the training, completed the workshops in order to now open a business, develop a plan, buy a car, or what have you.”
One of its upcoming events takes place during Money Smart Week.
“Our topic is going to be, ‘Student Loans: The Good the Bad and the Ugly.’ That will be on April 24, we anticipate, at the University City High School, but it will be open to the public,” Robnett said. “It’s not just for those who are thinking about going to school and getting a student loan, but those who are in college and out of college who have student loans. They will get some great information from Montgomery Bank – our financial partner in that activity.”
In addition to financial, life skills, employment, GED and other support for CAASTLC also has a home for sale, at a great price.
“We have finished recently, a renovation of a three-bedroom home, one-bath – totally renovated through a grant in St. Louis County,” Robnett said. “We are offering that property for sale for $55,000.”
It is located in St. John, within in the Ritenour School District.
For more information about CAASTLC and its services, call George Robnett direct at 314-446-4416 or visit http://caastlc.org.
