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Senior Repair Service (City of Urbana)

The Repair Service provides non-repayable grants up to $850 per household for minor home maintenance repairs to enable the citizen to maintain his/her property. Typical projects funded through the Repair Service include furnace and plumbing repairs, porch and step repair, ceiling, wall, and floor repairs. Eligibility requirements:

• The applicant must own and occupy the home to be repaired for a minimum of one year. Trust Deeds and Contract Purchases are allowable.
• The property must be located within the Urbana city limits.
• The applicant for whom repairs are made must be 62 years old or older or a person with a disability of any age. A person with a disability is an individual either receiving disability payments or having a pending application for disability payments.
• Household income may not exceed 50 percent of area median family income (see chart below for specific income limits).

The Urbana Grants Management Division will accept applications throughout the year subject to funding availability. Call (217) 384-2447 for more information.

Emergency Grant Program (City of Urbana)

The Emergency Grant Program is available to very low-income homeowners for repair of health or safety items. Emergency grant funds are available only if the repair is immediately needed to mitigate a hazardous condition. Eligible activities include only those repairs necessary to alleviate a hazardous condition which poses a threat to the health and safety of the occupant, including repair or replacement of defective mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems, building components, and surfaces. Eligibility requirements:

• The property must be owner-occupied for a minimum of one year. Trust Deeds and Contract Purchases are allowed.
• The property must be located within the Urbana corporate limits.
• Household income may not exceed 50 percent of area median family income.(See Income Limits chart above)
• The owner must provide evidence of property insurance.

Maximum funding through the Emergency Grant Program is $5,000 per household. The Urbana Grants Management Division will accept applications throughout the year subject to funding availability. Call (217) 384-2447 for more information.

Access Grant Program (City of Urbana)

The Access Grant Program helps eliminate physical barriers that keep a person with a disability from using his or her home. Eligible households may receive up to $5,000 of home improvements from a non-repayable grant. Typical projects funded through the Access Grant Program include ramp installation, bathroom modifications, and door widening. Access grants may be used to renovate single-family homes as well as units in duplexes and multiple-family buildings. Eligibility requirements:

• The applicant may be either a homeowner, renter or trust deed recipient.
• Household income may not exceed 80 percent of area median family income. (See Income Limits chart above)
• The property must be located within the Urbana corporate limits.

The Urbana Grants Management Division will accept applications throughout the year subject to funding availability. Call (217) 384-2447 for more information.

Get the Lead Out (GLO) Program

The City of Urbana and the Illinois Department of Public Health are working together to promote lead safe housing. Funds may be available to eliminate lead hazards in and around your home. Eligibility requirements are:

• You must have a child 6 years old or younger living in your home.

• Your home was built before 1978 and is within Urbana city limits.

• There must be visible signs of deteriorating paint that might contribute to lead-based paint hazards.

• Your household income may not exceed 50 percent of the area median family income. (See Income Limits chart above)

To see if you qualify for this program, call 384-2373 for more information. The Urbana Grants Management Division will accept applications throughout the year subject to funding availability.

Lead Fact Sheet

Whole-House Rehabilitation (City of Urbana)

Grants and loans totaling up to $25,000 per project are available for renovation of owner-occupied housing. Half of the assistance is provided by the city in the form of a grant. The grant is generally not repaid to the city. The other half of the assistance is provided either by the city or by a local bank in the form of a loan. Eligible activities include general repairs which will bring the house into compliance with City codes. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Repair or replacement of defective mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
• Repair or replacement of defective building components and surfaces, i.e., foundations, roofs, porches and stairways, floors, ceilings and walls, doors and windows, siding and trim.
• Energy conservation activities, i.e., insulation, caulking and weather-stripping, siding, doors, and windows.
• Lead paint hazard reduction.
• Accessibility for disabled persons.
• Incipient repairs and general property improvements of a non-luxury nature.

Eligibility requirements:

• The property must be a single-family residence located within the Urbana Community Development Target Area (north and east central Urbana). The property must be owned and occupied for a minimum of one year.
• Household income may not exceed 80 percent of area median family income. For persons with income at or below 50 percent of area median family income, the loan portion of the financing is provided by the city at no interest and with no monthly payments. The loan portion is due back to the city upon the sale of the property or transfer of title. For persons with income greater than 50 percent of area median family income but not more than 80 percent of area median family income, the loan portion is provided by a local bank with payments of principal and interest due monthly for up to ten years.

Applications for the whole-house rehabilitation program are processed from a program waiting list maintained by the Urbana Grants Management Division. The Grants Management Division periodically accepts names for the waiting list. Applicants are selected for funding from the waiting list based on household and housing need. Call (217) 384-2447 for more information.

Weatherization Program (Champaign County Regional Planning Commission)

The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) provides energy saving services for home weatherization. Work funded through the program includes caulking, insulation, window repair and replacement, door repair and replacement, and repair or replacement of heating systems. The dwelling to be weatherized must be located within Champaign County.

While the program primarily serves homeowners, renters may be assisted if they are otherwise eligible and if the property owner contributes half of the funds needed for the weatherization work. Income-eligible households with relatively high energy bills and with either young children, persons with disabilities, or elderly persons receive priority for funding. Contact the CCRPC at (217) 384-1226 for further information.