Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program

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Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program

Program Overview

The Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program provides funding for residents needing repairs to their homes for code compliance, safety, and accessibility. Depending on need and eligibility, funding is available through Home Repair Loans or the Accessibility Assistance Program.  

Home Repair Loans

Funding is available to qualified applicants who own and occupy a single-family residence located within the City of St. Petersburg municipal boundaries. Home repair loans provide the homeowner with the funds to remove health and safety risks from the home and to correct code violations to an owner-occupied residence. Examples include leaking roofs, electrical hazards, plumbing, sanitary sewer issues, and other threatening perils that are an immediate detriment to household occupants. Assistance is also available to identify and mitigate lead-based paint hazards. 

Loan Features

  • 0% interest rate
  • Affordable monthly payments based on household income and ability to pay
  • Loan forgiveness after 10 years of continued occupancy

Accessibility Assistance Program

Formerly known as Barrier Free Loans and Grants. Physically, visually or hearing impaired homeowners or renters may be eligible for financial assistance to construct and install ramps, grab bars, chair lifts, accessible counters, widened doorways, notification lights, buzzers, and other supporting fixtures that render a home accessible for persons with disabilities. Assistance may be awarded in the form of a grant of up to $3,000. Assistance exceeding $3,000 is available as an interest-free loan of up to $15,000.

Eligibility

Loan applicant income is limited to 120% Area Median Income (AMI), as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and established specifically to the geographic area of St. Petersburg. View the current income limits. Assistance is only available to homeowners whose house value does not exceed $481,176. 


Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP)

Following the recent Special Session of the Legislature, Governor DeSantis signed a disaster recovery bill allocating $25 million to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to assist families in counties impacted by Hurricane Idalia through the Hurricane Housing Recovery Program (HHRP). The City of St. Petersburg received $600,000 to assist impacted homeowners with home repairs, replacement of homes, construction materials and assistance for those looking for housing.

This funding is awarded as a forgivable loan secured by a recorded mortgage and promissory note. This is a zero percent (0%) interest rate loan with five, ten, and fifteen loan terms:

Forgiveness Period

$0 -$5,000

Forgiven after a 5-year loan term

$5,001 - $45,000

Forgiven after a 10-year loan term

$45,001- $100,000

Forgiven after a 15-year loan term

 

To be eligible for funding, you must have been impacted by Hurricane Idalia and loan applicant income is limited to 30%, 50%, 80, and 120% Area Median Income (AMI), as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban. View the current income limits. 

HHRP funds help when an emergency or disaster has been declared by executive order of the President or Governor. These disaster funds may be used for:

  1. Rehabilitation, new construction, or any other eligible activities as provided under Florida Statutes or as authorized by the City. Assistance will only be provided for repairs not covered by insurance or other disaster programs;
  2. Purchase of emergency supplies for eligible households to weatherproof damaged homes;
  3. Interim repairs to avoid further damage; tree and debris removal required to make the individual housing unit habitable;
  4. Payment of insurance deductibles for rehabilitation of homes covered under homeowners' insurance policies;
  5. Rental and utility assistance for eligible applicants; and
  6. Mortgage and utility assistance for eligible applicants.

Maximum award: $100,000 for summary strategy items 1-4
$8,000 for summary strategy items 5-6

Temporary relocation expenses may be provided at an amount not to exceed $5,000, if there are no other housing options such as living with family members.

If your home was damaged due to Hurricane Idalia, please apply through the Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program portal or call 727-893 – 7247 to determine eligibility.


Apply

Apply for the Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program and the Hurricane Housing Recovery Program in the application portal below. 

Application Portal