Whole-House Rehabilitation (City of Urbana)

(Only available to homeowners within the City's Community Development Target Area)

Grants and loans totaling up to $25,000 per project are available for renovation of owner-occupied housing. Half of the assistance is provided by the city in the form of a grant. The grant is generally not repaid to the city. The other half of the assistance is provided either by the city or by a local bank in the form of a loan. Eligible activities include general repairs which will bring the house into compliance with City codes. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Repair or replacement of defective mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
• Repair or replacement of defective building components and surfaces, i.e., foundations, roofs, porches and stairways, floors, ceilings and walls, doors and windows, siding and trim.
• Energy conservation activities, i.e., insulation, caulking and weather-stripping, siding, doors, and windows.
• Lead paint hazard reduction.
• Accessibility for disabled persons.
• Incipient repairs and general property improvements of a non-luxury nature.

Eligibility requirements:

• The property must be a single-family residence located within the Urbana Community Development Target Area (north and east central Urbana). The property must be owned and occupied for a minimum of one year.
• Household income may not exceed 80 percent of area median family income. For persons with income at or below 50 percent of area median family income, the loan portion of the financing is provided by the city at no interest and with no monthly payments. The loan portion is due back to the city upon the sale of the property or transfer of title. For persons with income greater than 50 percent of area median family income but not more than 80 percent of area median family income, the loan portion is provided by a local bank with payments of principal and interest due monthly for up to ten years.

Applications for the whole-house rehabilitation program are processed from a program waiting list maintained by the Urbana Grants Management Division. The Grants Management Division periodically accepts names for the waiting list. Applicants are selected for funding from the waiting list based on household and housing need. Call (217) 384-2447 for more information.