Housing Recovery Program

Eligible applicants include persons who owned a disaster-impacted home as their primary residence at the time of an eligible state-declared disaster (listed below) and still own that property at the time of application. Eligible property types include single-family residences, duplexes, townhomes or condominiums, and manufactured homes or mobile homes permanently affixed to permanent foundations.

Eligibility and Household Income Level

Awards are based on the income level of the household. Household income is calculated on income at the time of application. The Area Median Income (AMI) varies by County and is also dependent on household size.

To find your income level and eligibility for HRP funds, take the following steps:

1. Open the AMI Table PDF (opens in a new tab)
2. Find your County.
3. Find the row that represents your household size (including children and any non-family members who live there permanently).
4. Based on your annual income, read across the Household size row until you get to the column with the first dollar amount that equals or exceeds the combined annual income of all household members.
5. The first column that equals or exceeds your household income is your AMI level (80%, 100%, 120%, and 150%). This level of AMI is used to identify the grant/forgivable loan you may be eligible for.
6. Households with an annual income that is greater than the county’s 150% AMI are not eligible for a grant/forgivable loan but are eligible for traditional loans.

Example: find the AMI level for a Boulder County household of 3 persons with a combined household income of $100,000.

1. Open the AMI table PDF
2. Find the table for Boulder County
3. Find the row showing household size of 3 persons
4. Read across the row with 3 persons until the AMI number equals or exceed $100,000
5. As the 100% AMI column reads $112,900, that equals or exceeds the household income of $100,000. The household income in this example is 100% of the AMI.

Timeframe for expenses
The HRP will consider expenses incurred after the signing of SB 22-206 on May 17, 2022, as eligible. Expenses incurred after May 17, 2022, as the result of a state or federally-declared disaster in Colorado since January 1, 2018, are eligible to apply for Program funds.

CDBG-DR funds in Boulder County are eligible to reimburse recovery expenses from the Marshall Fire and Straight Line Winds federal declaration on December 31, 2021.

Eligible Disasters
The state-declared Colorado disasters since 2018 listed below that lost housing are eligible for assistance.  

• 2018 Spring Creek Fire: Costilla & Huerfano Counties
• 2018 Chateau Fire: Teller County
• 2018 Lake Christine Fire: Eagle County
• 2019  Avalanche Debris and Flooding Risk: Hinsdale County
• 2020 Cameron Peak Fire: Larimer County
• 2020 Mullen Fire: Jackson County
• 2020 East Troublesome Fire: Grand County
• 2020 Calwood Fire: Boulder County
• 2021 Muddy Slide Fire: Routt County
• 2021 Burn Scar Flooding, Mudslides, Rockslides: Garfield, Larimer, Eagle, Grand, Routt, Rio Blanco & Pitkin
• 2021 Marshall Fire and Straight-Line Winds: Boulder County

Are second homes or vacation homes eligible for funding?

No. These funds are only available for homes that were used as primary residences at the time of the disaster. Second homes and short term rental properties are not eligible for this program.

Eligible expenses
Any award will be based on mid-grade construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction, replacement, or new construction costs (see below) and any associated elevation changes and demolition. The eligible costs listed below are intended to be site and property specific except for #5, where a private road or bridge off-site may be necessary to access a primary residence. Work to clear the site, design and permit the replacement housing, build the housing, and implement building and site measures to reduce risk to natural hazards and the other costs listed above are eligible. Eligible expenses include:  

• Direct costs of repairs or reconstruction of a damaged or destroyed primary residence or affordable housing, including costs to rebuild to an advanced fire or other natural hazard mitigation standard;
• Architectural, engineering, permitting, or other soft costs/fees associated with repairing or rebuilding a primary residence or affordable housing;
• Soil sampling and air quality monitoring;
• Clearance and demolition costs, including concrete and other foundation material removal and removal of hazardous materials, including asbestos;
• Private road or bridge repair if necessary to access a primary residence or affordable housing;
• Costs associated with using building and site design measures including retaining walls on an individual's private property, that reduce the risk to natural hazards, including fire-resistant building materials and landscape design; 
• Costs to replant climate-ready trees and vegetation;
• Temporary rental assistance during relocation, rebuilding, or recovery work; and
• Other recovery costs not covered by other sources will increase resilience to future disasters.

Eligibility of permitting fees and use taxes
The rebuilding cost calculation is inclusive of permitting fees and sales and use taxes; therefore, it is a reimbursable expense to the extent that it is included in the calculation of the underinsurance gap. These costs are still subject to the overall program's maximum grant and loan amounts.

Eligibility and AMI

Awards in the Housing Recovery Program will be based on the income level of the household. Household income is calculated at the time of application. AMI is Area Median Income and is a calculation completed for all counties and household sizes across Colorado. Median income is the midpoint of the range of incomes from lowest to highest; essentially, half the population is above that point and half is below. It is a more accurate gauge of income since the value is not affected by high-income households.

Application

All applicants must complete an initial property eligibility screening conducted by a local partner or a third-party administrator.  Applicants impacted by the Marshall Fire and most other applicants in Colorado will apply through the Impact Development Fund (IDF) / Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) Portal. Application and intake will be conducted with assistance from CEDP intake coordinators who will assist homeowners in identifying and uploading the required documentation.

The following forms are available for download:

• The Housing Recovery Program full form (for housing recovery and reconstruction statewide), and
• short form (only for Community Foundation of Boulder County funds)

Application forms for the Recovery Electrification Rebate program are also found on the site above. Those in Grand County (East Troublesome Fire) should direct Recovery Electrification Rebate questions to the Colorado Energy Office at 303.349.6122.

Complete applications will be forwarded to IDF for underwriting, award/no award determination and loan processing if funds are awarded. Upon award, an IDF representative will finalize documentation and schedule a grant/forgivable loan and/or traditional loan closing directly with the applicant.

For inquiries regarding the application process, eligibility, or individuals seeking information about the State’s Housing Recovery Program, you can connect with a representative by calling or texting 303-532-2785 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. MST, or emailing rebuild@cedproject.org. 

A funding Assistance Calculator is available at HRP Calculator, which should provide an estimate of potential HRP assistance for your situation. The Housing Recovery Program does not require a construction bid or a permit prior to the homeowner submitting an application.  We fully expect that some applicants will need to know what resources are available before they engage with a builder.

Documents needed to apply for HRP funding

Items needed for the HRP application include:

• Proof of occupancy - most recent utility bill prior to state-declared disaster
• Most recent Federal Tax Return, W2’s, 1099’s and K1’s (Provide 2 years if self-employed)
• Income Verification (e.g. 30 days of pay stubs, current SSI/disability/Pension award letter, 2022 P&L if self-employed, etc.)
• Insurance declaration page, claim/settlement docs, and Scope/Summary Of Loss (all pages)
• Award or denial letter from FEMA, if applicable.
• Documentation of any other financial assistance already received for rebuilding
• Signed E-Consent
• Signed Borrower’s Authorization
• Statement of Household Income for all household members
• Rebuild cost (Home that Was Estimate) or repair cost estimates with line item breakdown, if available.
• Government issued identification for all Applicants (e.g. driver’s license, passport, permanent resident alien card, etc.)
• Proof of ages of dependents (birth certificate, passport, tax return, school records, etc.)
• Award or denial letter from Small Business Administration (SBA), if applicable.

Review

Grant/Forgivable loan details
For the Housing Recovery Program, grants of funds will be made in the form of forgivable loans. The applicant must be the current subject property owner and the owner of record on the disaster date. Ownership will be verified through public record, warranty deed and real estate tax records.

The grant/forgivable loan is up to $100,000 based on your household AMI. There are no payments and no interest if you maintain residency in the home for 3 years after loan closing. Timeframes below assume that a complete application has been submitted.

• Phase I: Property Review & Eligibility for Grant/Forgivable Loan (5-10 business days)
  • Develop rebuilding/renovation estimate using e2Value industry software.
  • Review for gap between total insurance policy limits plus any funds the applicant received for rebuilding their home and subtract that from the e2Value, plus add back non-dwelling items not included in e2value’s estimate, plus a 15% tolerance.
  • If there is a gap, begin phase 2.
• Phase II: Income Review for Grant/Forgivable Loan (15-20 business days)
  • Calculate income to determine if the applicant's income is below 150% of the counties area median income (AMI).
  • Collect any additional documentation needed for qualification.
  • Double check there are no duplication of benefits that would prevent the applicant from receiving this grant.
  • Fund grant/forgivable loan proceeds to the builder.

HRP funds will be committed in the form of loans. Fund disbursement functions as a draw request upon receipt and approval of eligible vendor and/or subcontractor invoices. In the best interest and for the protection of the homeowner, a final disbursement will be held back for the Grant/Forgivable loans (the lesser of 30% or $10,000) and released upon certificate of occupancy and documentation of final insurance payouts. At the time of the certificate of occupancy (CO) the order of payouts will be: insurance first, then other funding sources and the remaining Grant/Forgivable loan funds last.

Traditional loan details
Traditional loans are available to those who suffered damage or destruction of principal residences in State of Colorado disasters from 2018 on.  The applicant must be the current subject property owner and the owner of record on the disaster date. Ownership will be verified through public record, warranty deed and real estate tax records. 

The traditional loan is up to $50,000, approx. 1.5% interest, up to 30 years. There is no household income maximum. Timeframes below assume that a complete application has been submitted.

• Phase I: Property Review & Eligibility for Traditional Loan (5-10 business days)
  • Review construction or renovation estimate from general contractor, will use the higher of the e2Value or general contractor bid.
  • Review for gap between total insurance policy limits plus any funds the applicant received for rebuilding their home and subtract that from the cost to rebuild their home per the higher of e2Value or general contractor bid. 
  • If there is a gap, begin phase 2.
• Phase II: Income Review for Traditional Loan (15-20 business days)
  • Calculate income to determine the applicant's area median income (AMI).
  • Pull credit to determine debt to income ratio is within program guidelines (currently 50% DTI).
  • Collect any additional documentation needed for qualification.
  • Double check there are no duplication of benefits that would prevent the applicant from receiving this loan.
  • Fund traditional loan proceeds to the builder.

Repayment Terms:  The loan will be repaid via principal and interest monthly payments fully amortized over a period not to exceed 30 years at 1.5% with a 30-year term (the actual annual percentage rate (APR) will vary depending on the final loan amount). The loan will become immediately due upon the sale, transfer, refinance, when the house is no longer the primary residence, or upon the death of the borrower. The intent of the traditional loan is to be comparable to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Home Disaster Loan for those that were not able to access an SBA loan. 

Award

Maximum award
The Program allows up to $150,000 in assistance to affected homeowners. The maximum traditional loan is $50,000, and the maximum grant in the form of a forgivable loan is $100,000. The amount of grant assistance available is dependent on the income level of each household, with lower-income households eligible for more grant funding. Grants are provided in the form of a forgivable loan.

How awards are calculated
Each award is based on a standard rebuilding cost for the home, less insurance received (plus the deductible), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance for rebuilding, Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance (for loans), or any other grants or federally subsidized loans received. 

The difference between the cost to rebuild and the other funding sources becomes the ‘gap.’ For state-funded traditional loans ($50,000 cap) the general contractor estimate (if available) will be used to calculate the “gap”. 

The eligible award amount is the lesser of this gap and maximum award amounts (grant plus loan). The reason for the ‘gap’ determination is that federal law prohibits households from receiving more assistance than is needed for the intended purpose. The $50,000 cap on the traditional loan and the $100,000 cap on the grant/forgivable loan are due to the limited amount of funds available.

Delivery of awards
Awards in the form of either a grant (forgivable loan) or traditional loan are made as part of a loan closing with the homeowner and IDF. At closing for the grant/forgivable loan, the lower of 30%, or a maximum of $10,000 of those funds, are retained by the Housing Recovery Program until final billing and issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the residence. Funds are disbursed in accordance with the standard construction loan process and may be drawn upon during the course of the construction or renovation. 

For traditional loans, the program holds no retainage of the awarded amount.

Appeal a funding/no funding decision
If the household can document that there are additional costs not appropriately accounted for in the estimator, those can be included as add-ins. The more detailed the bid, the more likely it is that we will be able to find eligible inclusions. We will not be able to adjust the bid upward for luxury items or an increase in square footage. 
If a homeowner disagrees with an award/no award determination, an appeal may be filed within 30 days of that notification. To file an appeal, please provide the determination letter, a narrative describing in detail the reason for requesting a review, and any new information or supporting documentation (e.g. cost escalations, additional eligible improvements, adjustments to insurance proceeds, etc.) that was not available at the time of the initial application. An appeal can be made to IDF at Recovery@impactdf.org.

An energy performance upgrade opportunity exists with funding provided by SB22-206 through the Colorado Energy Office (CEO). CEO has provided DOLA with funding to implement a high-efficiency electrification rebate program. The basic Recovery and Electrification Program is a $10,000 rebate available for high-efficiency electric primary homes or long-term rental units that are built to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code standards statewide or a stronger standard as applicable.

Any homeowner whose home was damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster since 2018 and is rebuilding or repairing at the same location is eligible for this rebate. The rebate is available upon issuance of a certificate of occupancy by the local jurisdiction or other certification method that confirms the installation of the high-efficiency equipment. The amount of the rebate may vary based on local codes and it may also be increased for areas that are outside of the Marshall Fire area as a complementary rebate from Xcel Energy is not available outside of Boulder County. 

Electrification Rebate: Marshall Fire and Straight Line Winds - Boulder County
For homeowners impacted by the Marshall Fire and Straight-Line Winds disaster, a $10,000 rebate is available for households that have installed and made operational:

• NEEP certified cold climate heat pump or ground source (geothermal) heat pump;
• An electric resistant or induction stove; and
• A heat pump water heater.

Electrification Rebate: East Troublesome Fire - Grand County
The Colorado Energy Office is developing a robust rebate program in Grand County in partnership with Mountain Parks Electric Inc. For any questions on this rebate and how to apply in Grand County, please call 303.349.6122 

Electrification Rebate: Other State or Federally-declared disasters since 2018
For homeowners impacted by other declared disasters in Colorado, the Recovery and Electrification Program three items listed above are required but the requirement to meet the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will be adjusted to be in line with locally adopted codes or an earlier version of the IECC.

Mitigation improvements (up to maximum of an additional $10,000) that may be added to the estimate for manufactured housing renovations include:

• Insulation (pipe insulation and cold weather protection): $5,000
• Tie downs/anchoring: $5,000
• Fire-resistant skirting: $2,500

Manufactured homes (called mobile homes prior to 1967) are eligible for HRP funds. Expenses related to manufactured homes include repairs to roofing, skirting, tie-down anchors, utilities, and the structure of the manufactured home. Eligible expenses also include the replacement of a manufactured home that is not habitable due to the disaster and cannot meet current life, safety, and building codes.

Additional funding of up to $10,000 will be available through the Wind and Wildfire Protection Program to support wind and wildfire mitigation measures for manufactured housing and mobile homes.

Household Income and Tax Impacts

Household income verification is based on the following:

• Most recent Federal Tax Return, W2’s, 1099’s and K1’s (Provide 2 years if self employed)
• Income Verification (e.g. 30 days of pay stubs, current SSI/disability/Pension award letter, 2022 P&L if self-employed, etc.)
• Adjusted gross incomes will be recorded for all household members over 18 years old and not full-time students and combined to calculate total household income.
• Source documentation will be obtained and third party verification will be used as needed to verify income.

If a Form 1040 from the prior year is unavailable then supporting documentation will be required, as applicable:

• Wages: 2 or 3 consecutive pay stubs.  
• Retirement/Social Security benefits.
• Rental income.
• Unemployment benefits.
• Court ordered alimony/spousal maintenance.
• Taxable interest and dividends documentation for other less common types of income.

For your household income level, please use adjusted gross income from IRS form 1040. The 1040 form is used to identify the sources of an applicant’s income. Projected income will primarily be determined by the additional documentation. The definition of 1040 income can be found in the IRS definition. This will give you a ballpark estimate of your income but we will analyze your 1040 and additional income documents to calculate your actual income earned. Once you have your household income level, it will be compared with the area median income for your county.

The State will use HUD’s HOME Program guidelines in determining household size at 24 CFR 92. HUD guidelines state that, as a general rule, you must include “all persons living in the unit” when determining your household size. 

How are grants and loans handled on taxes federal and local/state taxes?
Tax implications vary by household.  Please refer to information provided by the IRS regarding disaster assistance or consult a tax advisor.

How will major income changes due to the fire be considered?
Household income is based on the date at the time of application and not at the time of the disaster. This will allow for major income changes to be accounted for.

Are award funds going to need an IRS 1099?
No. A Form 1099-MISC reporting the payment would be required if the payment constituted income to the recipient. In this case, because the payment is not income, no Form 1099-MISC or other information return must be filed with the IRS or furnished to the recipient. However, if reporting a loss to the IRS, these funds would reduce that loss. Consult a tax professional for your individual situation.

What is considered "duplication of benefits" (DOB)?
A DOB occurs if an individual, business, or government entity receives assistance for a specific purpose from multiple sources that exceed the need for that particular purpose. For example, if a homeowner needs $50,000 to repair their home and they receive $10,000 from insurance and $25,000 from FEMA, the maximum amount of money they can receive from another source for home repairs is $15,000. The funds also must be spent on its intended purpose.  In this case repairing or rebuilding the home.

Construction

How is the construction cost estimated?
DOLA is estimating your rebuilding cost using e2value software and then adding in items not included in the software, any mitigation measures, and an additional 15% to the overall estimated cost. Our estimate may differ from your contractor/builder estimate as public funding places a “reasonable and necessary” requirement on all expenditures.

Unfortunately, the contractor bids cannot always be evaluated against that criteria due to lack of detail or the inclusion of luxury items. For the traditional loans, we modified our criteria to take the greater of the rebuild estimate or the general contractor construction bid. The rebuilding estimate process is identified below.

Step 1: The rebuilding software is used to estimate the following:

• General requirements
• Structure
• Exterior finishes
• Interior finishes
• Mechanical, electrical, plumbing
• Code upgrades
• Contingency
• Contractor overhead/profit
• Fees, taxes, permitting

Step 2: Items added to the rebuilding estimate may include:

• Concrete flatwork including driveway and sidewalks: up to $8,000
• Design, surveys, geotech reporting, other soft costs: up to $25,000
• Excavation: up to $10,000
• Landscape and irrigation: up to $20,000
• Utility connections: up to $5,000

Step 3: Site-specific items may be added to the rebuilding estimate per a contractor’s bid for the items below - as they are unique to each site or property:

• Backfill
• Foundation piers
• Retaining walls
• Septic system repairs
• Wells
• Radon mitigation
• Accessibility measures
• Spray foam (insulation) air sealing 

Step 4: Additional wind and wildfire mitigation costs that are not included as part of building code requirements may also be added to the rebuild estimate.  In the absence of a construction bid that includes the actual additional costs related to wind and wildfire mitigation, the State will use estimates as follows:

• In-home sprinkler systems: $8,000
• Fire and ember resistant siding: $15,000
• Fire resistant windows, e.g., triple pane & metal-clad windows: $15,000
• Non-combustible fencing or treatment within 5 feet of structure: $2,000
• Ember and flame resistant venting: $1,000
• Gutter guard: $1,500

The full estimating process is summarized below:

1. Estimating software develops base estimate.
2. Site, design and utility work outside of home added to base estimate.
3. Unique site-specific costs added to base estimate.
4. Wind and wildfire mitigation costs added to base estimate.
5. Total the above to get rebuilding subtotal.
6. Multiply the rebuilding subtotal by 15%.
7. Add the rebuilding subtotal and the additional 15% to get the total estimate.

Mid-Range vs. Custom Construction
As HRP funds are public funds, they are intended to support the broadest range of the public good. Building back a level of quality in reconstruction helps to ensure that HRP funds can assist more homeowners. Homeowners may install higher quality or luxury items. However, the HRP gap analysis will use more mid-range costs to develop rebuilding estimates. Costs above that level for higher quality/luxury items are the responsibility of the homeowner.

Our estimates are based on the size of the home that was lost. We use the square footage of your home as provided by the County Assessor’s data provided to the State. Any unpermitted improvements will not show up on those records. 

A homeowner is allowed to rebuild their house using the materials they prefer and that meet the local code. The Housing Recovery Program will not pay for luxury items which are defined as anything other than mid-range construction materials. However, if a homeowner chooses to use (for example) quartz for countertops instead of Formica, the cost of Formica would be covered by the program funds, and the difference between that mid-range material cost and the cost of the upgraded material must be paid for by the homeowner.  Vinyl planks or tiles and hardwood are considered custom or premium.

Reconstruction of homes can be completed either larger or smaller than the original structure without affecting eligibility.  However, the Housing Recovery Program is basing its award on the cost to reconstruct a home based on the original square footage of the residence that was lost. Costs associated with increasing the size of the home will be at the homeowner’s expense.  If the household is downsizing, the award will be based on the lesser of estimate based on the original square footage and the actual construction cost. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis if the size increase is required to meet current code or to provide accessibility accommodations for elderly or disabled residents.

Can I rebuild in a floodplain? 
Yes, however, it is mandatory to elevate the structure or flood proof all work within the 500-year floodplain (or 0.2% annual chance) to the higher of the 500-year floodplain elevation or 3 feet above the 100-year floodplain elevation (as per FEMA flood proofing standards at 44 CFR 60.3(c)(2)–(3) or a successor standard). Flood insurance would also be required.

Can I change the footprint of my home? 
Yes. Within the limitations in the next question on the total square footage of your reconstructed home and the setback requirements in your community, the footprint, or outer edge of your home measured at the foundation, can change quite a bit. For example: if a 2-story 2,000 square foot home (no basement) was lost in the disaster - the home had a footprint at its foundation of 1,000 square feet. The homeowner now wants to reconstruct it as a single-story home of 2,000 square feet (still no basement) and local regulations allow it. In this example, the footprint expands by 100% but the square footage of the new home does not change at all and is eligible for Housing Recovery Program funds. 

Can I change the total square footage of my home? 
Square footage calculations use County Assessor’s data that was provided to the State to get the size of the home that was lost. The living areas, unfinished areas and the garage is included in that information. It also identifies any walk-out basements or below grade/garden level areas. Items like patios and decks are not included in the estimate.

The HRP rebuilding estimate and any grant/forgivable loan funds awarded will be based on the square footage of the residence that was lost at mid-range construction costs. Households may increase the size and quality of what was lost, but that increase will be at homeowner expense.

Smoke and Ash

The impacts of a fire disaster may continue downwind away from the actual area where homes and property were destroyed by any fire. Smoke and ash damage to homes outside of any burn scar can be significant and are as much a result of the fire as the damage and loss within the burn area. Repair and renovation of properties due to smoke and ash damage is an eligible expense within the geographic area designated in either the State or Federal disaster declaration. For example, if a disaster declaration were for Boulder or Grand counties, smoke and ash damage would be an eligible expense in those two counties but not in neighboring counties.

Small Business Administration

If your household is less than 150% of the Area Median Income (AMI), you are eligible for grant funds regardless of whether or not you have an SBA loan. The SBA loan will not count against your “gap” for the purposes of calculating the grant portion. If your household income is greater than 150% of the AMI and you have already been granted an SBA loan, then you are not eligible for the grant (based on your income) or the traditional loan (because you have already received SBA assistance). For those rare cases where households make less than 150% of AMI, they have an SBA loan, and they are already eligible for the grant, they may also receive assistance through the traditional loan provided they still have a gap, however, the SBA loan will be included in the gap calculation for the traditional loan portion only.

For grant funds (forgivable loans), DOLA funds will typically be paid out before SBA (there may be exceptions if you have already drawn SBA funds). For the traditional loan
funds, those can be drawn before or after SBA funds. Total funds drawn cannot exceed the rebuilding gap.

If you are under 80% AMI, you are eligible for the grant (forgivable loan) regardless of your SBA loan status. SBA may reduce your loan amount if they conclude that your gap has been reduced to less than your full SBA loan amount.

If you are approved for an SBA loan but are unable to actually access the funds due to the complexities of the SBA process, will you be able to access a traditional DOLA loan?

Please continue to work with SBA to access the loan that you were approved for.

How do I know if my SBA loan is canceled?
Contact your SBA loan specialist and they can verify this for you. Due to the amount and the interest rate, it is in your best interest to try to get the loan reinstated, especially if your remaining need is greater than the $50,000 (or $80,000 with mitigation) that the State can offer.

Can a household have an SBA loan still qualify for the Wildfire and Wind Mitigation Traditional Loan?
Yes.

Small Rental Property Rehabilitation

Assistance is available to renovate or reconstruct long-term rental housing stock. The rebuilding/renovation cost analysis is based on your resources for construction and the costs of that construction.

Who is eligible to receive funding for rental rehabilitation or reconstruction?
To be eligible, landlords and their rental property must meet the following criteria:

• The damaged property must have sustained damages as a result of one of the eligible declared disasters.
• Property owners must have been the owner of record of the damaged or destroyed property on the date of the disaster declaration and at the time of application.  
• The property owner or group of owners must have been a resident or jurisdiction-based business or nonprofit organization authorized to operate in the State on the disaster declaration date. Property owners do not have to reside in the State at the time of application to be eligible.
• Properties must have sustained disaster damage of at least $10,000 as verified by a visual inspection or a 3rd party verification, including FEMA, Insurance, USDA, or County estimates.
• The damaged property must be an eligible structure as defined in the program guidelines, including, but not limited to, single-family residences, duplexes, and other residential buildings consisting of 4 units or less, modular, manufactured (aka mobile) homes, or townhomes.
• The property must be utilized as a long-term rental. Short-term rentals (Airbnb, Vrbo, etc.) are not eligible.

What is the maximum award for rental rehabilitation or reconstruction?
The maximum grant/forgivable loan award is $100,000 per unit and the maximum traditional loan award amount is $50,000.

What activities are not eligible for rental rehabilitation or reconstruction?
Any premium construction will be at the landlord’s expense. Due to federal restrictions, landlords who rebuild must build to substantially the same footprint as the previous footprint of rental property.

Is there an affordability period required?
Yes. All rental units that receive funds must be rented to a low- moderate-income individual or family. Units must be affordable and available to renters earning 80 percent of the AMI or less for a period of five years from the certificate of occupancy for the renovated or reconstructed units.

Hazard Mitigation

Funding is available through the CDBG-DR Wind and Wildfire Housing Protection Program. Those funds will be limited to households at 120% of the Area Median Income or less. Acess more information regarding the mitigation programs.