Tuesday, August 6, 2024 — Cleveland — Applications for the City of Cleveland’s ARPA-funded home repair programs are open until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Homeowners are asked to complete a simple, universal online form to begin the pre-approval process for home repair, home maintenance, and home improvement assistance.
After the pre-approval period, applications will be reviewed by the Department of Community Development to determine basic eligibility. Due to high demand for these programs, 150 eligible applicants will be selected through a lottery process to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of projects throughout the city. Applicants must be property owners and residents with current property taxes and their applications must be submitted via the online form. City staff cannot process applications in person or by phone.
Last summer, Cleveland allocated $10 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for citywide home repair programs. An additional $5 million was specifically earmarked to accelerate neighborhood revitalization through home repair under Mayor Bibb’s Southeast Side Promise. The city also received a $2.5 million philanthropic grant from KeyBank in August 2023 to increase investment in these programs.
“Over the past 11 months, we have worked diligently behind the scenes to lay a foundation that will make these critical programs a success,” said Mayor Justin M. Bibb. “We know the need is great, and we are committed to making the most of these resources and working with partners to more quickly improve the quality of housing in Cleveland.”
Since the enabling legislation was enacted, the city has entered into grant agreements with five nonprofit organizations – Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, CHN Housing Partners, Cleveland Restoration Society, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Cleveland and Community Housing Solutions – that receive funding to administer loans and grants designed to help low-income residents repair their homes.
Each organization will support its own programs and receive pre-qualified projects through the city’s application and lottery process.
Generally, home repair programs offer loans and grants of up to $30,000 for work on roofs, heating and ventilation systems, exterior damage and similar repairs. Because program rules vary, the City of Cleveland team handles initial intake and matches qualified applicants with the program that best fits their needs.
“Council members hear every day from residents that they urgently need funds to maintain their homes,” said City Council President Blaine A. Griffin. “Addressing the housing crisis has always been a priority for Cleveland City Council. From the lead protection ordinance to the home repair assistance we support to the right to counsel, we have championed quality housing options.”
To date, 27 properties already in the queue for city-run home repair programs have been repaired through Habitat for Humanity and Community Housing Solutions, and 33 properties on the waitlist are currently under contract or undergoing repairs.
In addition, 150 Southeast Side homeowners were invited to pre-qualify for ARPA home repair assistance based on the results of a recently completed Cleveland citywide real estate survey and their location in the Southeast Side Promise investment area.
“We know that the need is greater than the funds we have and that not everyone will receive support this time. That is why we have introduced the lottery process to ensure that all eligible applications have an equal chance of being selected,” said Alyssa Hernandez, Cleveland’s director of community development. “In addition, we are actively working to increase our capacity both internally and with contractors to accelerate the delivery of federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to help Cleveland residents with home repairs.”
The City expects the process of reviewing eligibility and notifying those selected by lottery to be completed by September 30, 2024.
