The Housing Rehabilitation Programs are designed to help homeowners who are struggling to get repairs done on their own. The assistance is provided in the form of a forgivable loan to income qualifying applicants and is only available to City residents who own their own house. Approved rehabilitation activities are meant to bring houses into compliance with property standards specified in the City’s Building Codes and Ordinances. There are currently three programs: General, TARRP, and Emergency.

Program Staff

The programs are run day-to-day by two staff people. The Housing Officer handles applications, determines eligibility, manages the waiting list, prepares documents, and maintains records. The Construction Officer inspects properties, develops scopes of work, coordinates with contractors, and ensures quality work. Additionally, a Housing Property Maintenance Inspector assists with the TARRP Program as needed. 

Eligibility Requirements 

In order to apply for assistance, residents must provide their name, address, phone number, and other basic information on an application linked at the bottom of this page. Eligibility requirements also include the following. 

• Applicant must live in and own the property they are applying for.
• Applicant must have owned the property for at least six months prior to the time of application.
• Total household adjusted gross income must fall within the established income limits.
• Property taxes must be current.
• Utility bills due to the City cannot be delinquent.
• Property must have homeowner’s insurance.
• Applicant must be a legal US citizen or resident.

2023 Annual Income Limits (Effective June 15th, 2023)

Established by the US Department of Housing & Urban Development, these limits are set at 80% of area median income (AMI). These limits are set by the Federal government and not the City, so they cannot be changed.  

How the Forgivable Loan Works

The three programs function using forgivable loans. When an eligible property owner has a project completed at their house, they are not required to pay anything toward the cost of the project. The City pays for the whole thing. After the work is complete, the City places a recapture agreement (similar to a lien) for the project cost against the house for a period of five years. If the property owner lives in the house for the full five years and remains in good standing with the City, the recapture agreement can be released at the end of that time (the “recapture period”). If the property owner sells the house or falls into bad standing before then, they are required to pay back the full amount of the project cost to the City. If the property owner goes into bankruptcy, is foreclosed upon, or dies during the five-year period the City may allow an early release. These circumstances are evaluated on a case by case basis, however. 

General Assistance Program

The General assistance program exists to help property owners who live in any part of the City. Activities can include a wide range of things including repairs or replacement of principle fixtures and components, water and energy efficient improvements, repair or replacement of water lines or sewer laterals, and improvements to remedy barriers that restrict the mobility and accessibility of elderly or disabled persons. Common exterior items that qualify under this program are roofs, entryways, stairs, and porch repairs. Common interior items that qualify under this program include stairways, plumbing, electrical panels, and mechanical equipment. Items that are not addressed by this program include pest control, general cleaning, and painting. The Construction Officer will work with the property owner to prioritize rehabilitation activities so that the most important items are addressed first. Due to funding limitations, a whole-house rehabilitation is not possible. However, the goal of the program is to try and tackle the most serious and most expensive problems. 

Targeted Area Repair & Rehabilitation Program (TARRP)

The Targeted Area Repair Rehabilitation Program (TARRP) is limited to property owners within designated target areas of the City. These areas are shown in the maps below. One of the City’s Housing and Property Maintenance Inspectors is assigned exclusively to these designated target areas. If the inspector finds a citable nuisance violation at a house, they are able to provide the property owner with information about this program. The property owner can then reach out to the Housing & Loan Program Officer and apply for assistance through this program for help getting the enforcement violations resolved. Violations are issued based on the condition of the following: structural deficiencies, nuisance violations, and health and life safety issues. Only exterior rehabilitation work is eligible in this program. 

West TARRP Area

Central TARRP Area

East TARRP Area

Emergency Assistance

The Emergency assistance program is open to property owners in any part of the City but is limited to a small number of eligible activities. The program can help with inoperable furnaces/boilers, water heaters, broken water lines or sewer laterals, non-compliant electrical weather heads, severely damaged roofs, and exterior accessibility issues for elderly and disabled persons. This program aims to provide help quickly. As such, there is not normally a waiting list for property owners seeking emergency assistance. However, if there are not sufficient resources to process the applications, a waiting list will be established.

Every property owner seeking emergency assistance for mechanical items like water heaters and furnaces will be required to have a licensed contractor diagnose the problem. If the licensed contractor determines that the component is totally inoperable, that the cost of repair exceeds the cost of replacement, or determines that an immediate hazard exists, the applicant will need to provide documentation of the contractor’s finding with the application. Water line and sewer lateral issues must be declared emergencies by the Public Works Department to be eligible for assistance through this program. Roofs shall be evaluated by the Construction Officer and considered emergencies only when their failure poses a clear risk to health and safety. 

Waiting List 

The City currently has an active waiting list for its General and TARRP programs. Once an applicant has been determined eligible for assistance, they are put on the waiting list and will receive assistance in the order they were placed on the list. While staff work to make sure that projects are completed in a timely manner, it is not unusual for a property owner to remain on the waiting list for some time. If a property owner remains on the waiting list for more than six months, the Housing & Loan Program Officer will contact them to re-verify their eligibility for assistance. Applicants may ask to be taken off the list at any time, but cannot be removed or moved around on the list by staff if they remain otherwise eligible. 

Frequently asked Questions 

Q. If my spouse and I are on the title to the home, but they no longer live in the property, will they also need to apply?

A. They will not need to supply any supporting documents if they do not live in the home, however, they will be required to sign contracts agreeing to the terms of the Program and authorizing the work on the property because they are on the title.

Q. My son/daughter currently live with me but they do not contribute to the bills or pay rent. Do I still need to provide their proof of income?

A. Yes, anyone over the age of 18 that lives in the home will have to provide proof of income. Income eligibility is determined by the total combined household income, regardless if they pay rent or assist with the bills.

Q. How do you determine what counts as income?

A. We are required to follow the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s definition of income as defined in 24 CFR 570.3, Income (iii).

Q. How can I be assured that the contractor selected will do a good job?

A. All contractors that wish to do work through the Housing Rehabilitation Program must follow      guidelines. The City not only inspects the work, but we also ensure that the contractor has the appropriate licenses and training before they can begin any work on your home.

Q. Recapture Agreement and how does this affect me?

A. A Recapture Agreement is similar to a lien. This is recorded with the Rock Island County Recorder’s Office to ensure that you continue to reside in the property for at least five years. Although you are applying to receive a grant, the City must insure that the grant continues to benefit the applicant for a period of time. As long as you continue to live in your home the Recapture Agreement will be released after five years. However, if you decide to sell your home in less than five years after receiving the grant, the Recapture Agreement will allow the City to recapture the grant funds from you. Additional information will be provided to you regarding the Recapture Agreement before any work is performed on your property to make sure you agree to these terms.

Q. If I pass away in less than five years after I receive the grant, will the Recapture Agreement remain on my property?

A. No. If the grant recipient dies, the Recapture Agreement will be released from the property.

Documents & Links
 
To apply for assistance please follow the link below. There will be no more paper copies. 

• https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/ROCKISLANDIL/Participant 
• Program Polices