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| Licking County Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program |
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| BACKGROUND |
| Despite the fact that Licking County has very good housing stock overall, according to Licking County’s 2004 Community Housing Improvement Strategy (CHIS) and 2000 census data: |
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- Approximately 60% of owner-occupied structures were built prior to 1980
- Approximately 18% of owner-occupied structures were built prior to 1950
- Approximately 73% of the owner-occupied structures built prior to 1980 contain lead-based paint (which was outlawed for residential use in 1978)
- There are owner-occupied structures that lack complete plumbing and/or kitchen facilities
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| The age of Licking County’s housing stock overall increases the potential for substandard conditions such as outdated electrical, mechanical, plumbing and other systems. |
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| Indications of substandard housing conditions such as these are obviously most problematic when coupled with homeowners who are of low- and moderate-income. Typically, such homeowners are least likely to be able to afford major repairs or needed upgrades to their homes in order to make them more livable. |
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| THE HOUSING REHABILITATION LOAN PROGRAM |
| One answer to the problems identified above has been Licking County’s housing rehabilitation program, which has been in existence for more than 20 years. This program is administered by Licking County Planning Commission staff on behalf of the Licking County Board of Commissioners using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development (USDA/RD) and HOME funds. |
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| Licking County created a housing rehabilitation program to assist low- and moderate-income households with rehabilitation, repairs, upgrades and improvements to single-family, owner-occupied dwellings. Assistance is provided in the form of grants and zero-percent (0%) interest, deferred-payment, forgivable loans throughout Licking County excluding the cities of Newark and Pataskala. |
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| Applicants for housing rehabilitation must qualify for the program in regard to household income, ownership, occupancy and other criteria. The program has two (2) basic funding mechanisms: |
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| Home Repair program assistance (to correct one or two significant problems) will be in the form of a grant to eligible homeowners. |
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| Private Owner Rehabilitation assistance (to correct substandard conditions throughout the house so that it is safe, healthy, durable, energy efficient and affordable), will be in the form of a zero-percent (0%) interest, deferred-payment, forgivable loan that is repaid when the home is sold, title transferred, the property is converted to rental property or should the homeowner no longer occupy the structure as his/her principal residence. |
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- Must have title to (a deed with your name on it) and occupy the property as your principal residence
- Owners of manufactured homes must own the land on which the structure resides, and the structure must be taxed as real estate by the Licking County Auditor’s Office
- Property must be located in Licking County outside the city limits of Newark and Pataskala
- Must qualify per current household income guidelines (based upon the number of persons living in the home)
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| ELIGIBLE REPAIRS and REPLACEMENTS |
- Roofs
- Furnaces
- Windows
- Wells/waterlines
- Septic systems/sewer lines
- Spouting
- Insulation
- Siding
- Plumbing
- Electrical
- Doors
- Accessibility
- Modifications to homes in flood prone areas
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| U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development (USDA/RD) |
| The U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development (USDA/RD), formerly known as the Farmer’s Home Administration (FmHA), is primarily a loan and grant agency for rural housing and rural development projects. USDA/RD makes homeownership loans to low- and moderate-income persons to buy, build, improve, repair or rehabilitate eligible dwellings for use by the borrower as a permanent residence.
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| Section 504 loans and grants are available to improve the living conditions and assist with needed home repairs for very-low-income applicants in rural areas. Funds may be used to modernize the home or to remove health and safety hazards. |
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| For more information, Licking County residents should call the USDA office in Marietta, Ohio, at 740-373-7113. |
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