The city of Vancouver is offering no-payment loans to low-income residents for basic home repairs, part of a rehabilitation program to preserve existing housing.
The funding for the program comes from Community Development Block Grants and HOME funds. Applicants may receive approximately $25,000 through a 3 percent simple interest loan that does not require monthly payments. The loan is paid back when you refinance your home, when the title transfers to another owner or when you no longer live in the home.
To be eligible, an applicant’s household income must not exceed 80 percent of the area’s median — $49,250 per year for a one-person household, or $56,250 per year for a two-person household. Other low-income requirements apply, including no investment property, no more than $25,000 in liquid assets, no more than $250,000 in nonliquid assets and a home equity that does not exceed $200,000.
General home renovations and upgrades aren’t eligible. But rehabilitation projects are –situations such as if a water leak has warped the floors, the existing deck is unstable or if the exterior is deteriorating.
