Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Village Board discussed a program that will bring free grants for roof repairs for 14 low-income and very low-income homeowners. If the board passes the resolution on the matter at a future Regular Meeting, the program rollout could begin as early as the end of this month.
Village Planner Andrew Brown presented the proposal to board members at Monday’s Rules Meeting. It stems from September of last year when the Village applied to the Home Repair and Accessibility Program. (“HRAP” – yes, everything becomes an acronym. Good luck saying that one. “That’s a ‘HRAP’?) This program is funded and operated by the Illinois Housing Development Authority (“IHDA”).
“This (HRAP) program is designed to assist low-income and very low-income homeowners with needed repairs that include health, safety, energy efficiency, and accessibility improvements,” Mr. Brown told the Village Board in his cover memo introducing the resolution.
Park Forest’s proposal was to focus on roof repairs throughout the community to complete roof repairs on approximately 14 qualified homes. Grants for roof repairs can be as high as $21,500 in “soft and hard construction costs,” the memo says.
The Village was awarded $400,000 from IHDA for the program, receiving word on the award in December of 2022.
In response to questions from board members, Mr. Brown said grants would be awarded to qualified mortgage holders on a “first come, first served” basis. Landlords who might lease to low-income and very low-income renters are not eligible, Mr. Brown told eNews Park Forest. This program is reserved for mortgage holders on homes.
If the board passes this item at its February 20 Regular Meeting, the rollout of the program could begin by the end of the month, Mr. Brown said. That would be contingent on having the infrastructure in place to make sure qualified homeowners are aware of the program before applications go live.
