Hoping to meet with the same success as last year’s inaugural
Rebuilding Calistoga program, Calistoga Affordable Housing is
seeking applicants for the 2011 housing improvement program.

Last year, Rebuilding Calistoga connected 32 families with
volunteers and building material suppliers to improve the safety
and comfort of homes all across town.

Among the projects completed by some 152 volunteers from all
around Napa County were fixing broken windows and screens,
replacing broken stoves, repairing unsafe porches and wheelchair
ramps, replacing leaking water heaters, painting structures and
much more.

Using materials provided by several area lumberyards and
hardware stores, volunteers worked for two days in April. Last
year’s program was financed by the Delong Sweet Family Foundation,
the city of Calistoga, the Gasser Foundation and Home Depot.

Recently, the city of Calistoga stepped up its sponsorship of
the program, digging deeper into its budget to find more money for
the program.

This year, funds are also coming from Auction Napa Valley, the
Gasser Foundation (currently pending) and again, Home Depot.

Volunteers will again make up the lion’s share of the labor
force, according to Calistoga Affordable Housing President Larry
Kroman, who is co-chairing the event with the CAH’s executive
director, Erica Sklar. This year will see the addition of a student
volunteer force from the Calistoga High School and Pacific Union
College in Angwin.

“The students are anxious to make an impact on their community,”
Kroman said in a prepared statement. “This is the core aspect of
Rebuilding Calistoga, neighbor helping neighbor.”

This year’s event begins this week, with senior and handicapped
homeowners obtaining and completing applications, which may be
picked up at City Hall, the Chamber of Commerce, the main office of
each of the community’s mobile home parks or at the Lincoln Avenue
office of Calistoga Affordable Housing, upstairs above
Copperfield’s Books and Music.

Don’t procrastinate long, since the application process ends
Feb. 15.

Generally, applicants must be a homeowner (no rentals); 55 years
or older, or handicapped; meet the conditions listed on the
application; and meet the county’s low-income (average median
income) levels.

Applicants, approved or not, will be notified by March 1. The
actual work days will be Saturday, April 9 through Sunday, April
17.

At the end of the last work day,
there will be a round of celebration at the Butler Pavilion on the
Napa County Fairgrounds at 4 p.m.