"Commerce" means the Washington state department of commerce.

"Home" means a single-family residential structure.

"Home rehabilitation" means residential repairs and improvements that address health, safety, and durability issues in existing housing in rural areas.

"Homeowner" means a person who owns and resides permanently in the home the person occupies.

"Low-income" means persons or households with income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level as determined annually by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, 80 percent of the area median income for the county in which the home receiving rehabilitation is located, or 60 percent of the state median income, whichever is greater, and as adjusted for household size.

"Rehabilitation agency" means any approved department grantee, tribal nation, or any public service company, municipality, public utility district, mutual or cooperative, or other entity that bears the responsibility for rehabilitating residences under this chapter and has been approved by the department.

"Rural areas" means areas of Washington state defined as nonentitlement areas by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.