Housing Rehabilitation Program

The Office of Community Development administers a number of Housing Rehabilitation Programs using CDBG and HOME funds.  The goal of the housing rehabilitation programs is to assist low to moderate income homeowners with the rehabilitation and preservation of the County’s housing stock.  The Housing Rehabilitation Program provides a mechanism for property owners to bring their properties into compliance with applicable building and housing codes and provide safe, decent housing for lower income individuals.  The Program is designed to bring the eligible property owner’s dwelling into compliance with applicable, locally adopted housing standards and rehabilitation standards to reduce ongoing and future maintenance costs, promote energy efficiency, and to preserve decent affordable owner-occupied housing.  Program eligibility criteria restricts assistance to low-income homeowners in the jurisdictions of the Urban County.  The program has five (5) major components: (1) Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation, (2) Emergency Repair Program, (3) Accessibility Ramp Program, (4) Manufactured Home Program; and (5) Energy Efficiency Improvements.

Assistance is available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible homeowners as funds permit.  Due to the nature of the programs, it is expected that there will be more applicants than funding available for projects.   There is a waiting list   for qualified applicants who are not selected for the current cycle of funding.  The programs will provide assistance to low- and moderate-income households regardless of race, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status or disabilities.

Table of Contents

• Programs
• Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program
• Emergency Repair Program
• Accessibility Ramp Program
• Manufacturing Housing Rehabilitation Program
• Energy Efficiency Program
• Resources
• Housing Rehabilitation Programs flyer (pdf)
• Owner-occupied Housing Rehabiltation Program flyer (pdf)
• Pre-application (pdf)

Programs

 Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation Program

• Deferred loans are available up to $25,000 to rehabilitate/repair low-income, owner-occupied homes throughout the jurisdictions of the Urban County for families earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income. 

• The Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation program provides the general rehabilitation necessary to bring the structure into compliance with applicable building codes, rehabilitation standards, and lead-based paint regulations. 

• The program addresses actual and incipient building, health, and safety code violations, accessibility improvements, energy improvements, which may also be performed as part of any housing rehabilitation project authorized under this program.     

• This is a fully deferred, 2 percent simple interest loan that becomes due and payable upon sale, rental, refinance, and transfer of the property. The loan will be forgiven if the owner resides in the property for 30 years. 

• There is no pay back provision for the two (2) percent simple interest if the homeowner resides in the property for ten (10) years after the completion of the rehabilitation work.     

Emergency Repair Program

• This program offers grants for urgent repairs up to $3,000 to low-income, owner-occupied households within the jurisdictions of the Urban County. 

• Emergency repair grants may be made to pay for construction work to correct items that are determined by the Rehabilitation Specialist to be of an immediate and necessary nature and which can have an imminent effect on improving the health and/or safety of the occupants and meets the following definition: An emergency is a situation or condition that is without warning, that is detrimental to or a threat to life, health, or safety, and requires immediate action. 

• This program includes emergency repairs in plumbing, electrical, roofing, and heating.  Emergency grants will be limited to a one-time grant up to $3,000 per dwelling during a three-year period.

Accessibility Ramp Program

• This program offers grants up to $5,000 for the installation of exterior ramps to homes occupied by very low income persons (up to 50% AMI), adjusted for family size, in order to improve their accessibility.  Improvements can include construction of ramps, widening of doorways, and modifications to bathrooms and kitchens. Manufactured homes are eligible for this program.
• The program provides the funding for the material and labor cost incurred to install a ramp for any homeowner throughout the jurisdictions of the Urban County earning less 50% or less of the Area Median Income.
• Accessibility ramp grants will be limited to a one-time grant up to $5,000 per dwelling during a five-year period.

Manufacturing Housing Rehabilitation Program

• This program offers a grant up to $7,500 to mobile/manufactured homes owned and occupied by low income households located within a manufactured home park, and within the jurisdictions of the Urban County.    
• These one-time grants may be used for roof repairs, plumbing, electrical or heating systems, broken windows, and other needed renovations.

Energy Efficiency Program

• The program is intended to provide energy efficient improvements for low income owner-occupied houses and owner-occupied houses with up to 3 rental units.

• The program is designed to reduce utility costs through energy improvements and to educate homeowners about energy efficiency.

• A maximum low interest, deferred loan up to $15,000 for owner-occupied single family houses and a maximum low interest deferred loan up to $7,500 per unit for rental units in an owner-occupied house. The owner can choose to exceed these limits, but must pay all costs exceeding the limits.

•  Eligible costs include energy audits, Energy Star™ appliances; energy efficient lighting, windows, doors, heating and cooling systems; air sealing; insulation; and water saving devices.

Resources

• Housing Rehabilitation Programs flyer (pdf)
• Owner-occupied Housing Rehabiltation Program flyer (pdf)
• Pre-application (pdf)