Overview of the City of Marietta's CDBG-Funded Homeowner-Occupant Rehabilitation Assistance Programs
A brief summary of the two available assistance programs – the minor repair program and the emergency repair program – is provided immediately below. For more detailed information about these programs, please see Marietta Homeowner Rehabilitation Programs Policies and Procedures. This link provides access to the application for the programs described below.
Overview of Minor Repair Program:The Marietta Minor Repair Program is available to homeowner-occupants with income at or below 80% of the current area median income, adjusted for family size. This program provides resources to address physical conditions in homes which are not emergency in nature and which do not rise to the level of “substantial rehabilitation” or “substantial improvement” under HUD regulations.
Assistance received under the minor repair program is limited to $5,000 for approved repairs which would affect a painted surface in a home constructed before 1978. In a home constructed after 1978, or when the request for assistance relates to work which is determined by the City to have no impact on a painted surface, the limit of assistance is $10,000. The minimum amount of a loan under this program is $500.
Although minor repair assistance can be used for home painting, it is important to work that a paint job always involves the disturbance of painted surfaces. Therefore, the authorized use of this program for paint assistance will always be limited to $5,000. If the cost of a house painting project exceeds $5,000 (as will often be the case), the applicant will need to identify another source of funding to cover the balance of the full project cost to receive assistance through this program.
A homeowner approved into this program is encouraged to procure multiple bids, but is not required to obtain any certain minimum number of bids in order to identify a winning bid. The homeowner-applicant will be responsible for choosing the winning bid in the exercise of sound discretion. The homeowner’s choice of bid will be honored by the Development Department in providing assistance unless the bid chosen is unreasonable in amount relative to the proposed work, does not conform to the approved scope of work, or proposes to have the work performed by a contractor who lacks the necessary certifications to perform federally-funded work or has been disbarred. If the total cost of the selected bid exceeds the authorized amount of program assistance, the City will only assist the project if the homeowner provides satisfactory documentation of another source of funds to cover the full bid cost.
For more precise details about the Minor Repair Program, please see Marietta Homeowner Rehabilitation Programs Policies and Procedures.
Overview of Emergency Repair Program:The Marietta Emergency Repair Program is another program available to homeowner-occupants with income at or below 80% of the current area median income, adjusted for family size. Assistance through the Emergency Repair program provides resources to correct one failing system within an owner-occupied home where the repairs are necessary to correct a condition which immediately necessary to safeguard against imminent danger to human life, health or safety, or to protect against structural damage which can be reasonably anticipated from leaving the condition uncorrected.
Assistance received under the emergency repair program is limited to $5,000 for approved repairs which would affect a painted surface in a home constructed before 1978. In a home constructed after 1978, or when the request for assistance relates to work which is determined by the City to have no impact on a painted surface, the limit of assistance is $10,000. The minimum amount of a loan under this program is $500.
A homeowner approved into this program is encouraged to procure multiple bids, but is not required to obtain any certain minimum number of bids in order to identify a winning bid. The homeowner-applicant will be responsible for choosing the winning bid in the exercise of sound discretion. The homeowner’s choice of bid will be honored by the Development Department in providing assistance unless the bid chosen is unreasonable in amount relative to the proposed work, does not conform to the approved scope of work, or proposes to have the work performed by a contractor who lacks the necessary certifications to perform federally-funded work or has been disbarred. If the total cost of the selected bid exceeds the authorized amount of program assistance, the City will only assist the project if the homeowner provides satisfactory documentation of another source of funds to cover the full bid cost.
For more precise details about the Emergency Repair Program, please see Marietta Homeowner Rehabilitation Programs Policies and Procedures.
Procedural Overview:The purpose of the following summary is to help potential program applicants understand how the City’s CDBG-funded homeowner rehabilitation assistance programs work:
- A homeowner-occupant interested in being assisted through one or these programs starts by contacting the Development Department (call 740.373.9354 or email AmandaClark@mariettaoh.net). The interested applicant should ask to set up an appointment for an application conference.
- On the date of the application conference, an applicant will visit the Development Department office (304 Putnam St., Marietta, OH 45750, suite 2200 on the ground floor). The Development Clerk will coordinate with the applicant to fill out a program application.
- A very important part of the application process, although it is processed separately from the paper application form, is the calculation of total household income. An applicant should bring to the appointment information about the number of persons living in the house and each person’s source(s) of income. This information must be supported by copies of documentation showing all present sources and amounts of income for every member of the household. The Development Clerk will use HUD’s online eligibility calculator to determine what the applicant’s income is likely to be in the next 12-month period. That income calculation will be compared to area median income to determine whether the applicant meets the income qualification requirements of the program.
- If the applicant’s household income qualifies for assistance, the paper application will be filled out to clarify the scope of requested assistance and to clarify that the applicant acknowledges certain important program rules. It is this paper application which will be reviewed as part of the determination as to whether the proposed project qualifies for assistance.
- Part of the project qualification examination will also involve a site visit by a city representative to document and generally inspect the conditions which prompted the application. This site visit, taken together with the information in the application, will determine the approved scope of work in the event that the project is likely to be approved to receive program assistance.
- Once the scope of work has been clearly defined, the City of Marietta will perform an environmental review of the project to ensure that there are no environmental factors requiring assistance. Review of certain environmental factors in some cases may require consultation or coordination with outside agencies. The environmental review may not be conducted immediately, but review will be fast-tracked in the case of projects likely to be approved for assistance through the emergency repair program.
- Only after the environmental review has been fully conducted can a project be finally approved for assistance. When a project is approved, the Development Department will inform the homeowner of the dollar limit of assistance approved, as well as the scope of work approved to be assisted.
- After a project is approved, the Development Department will authorize homeowners to seek bids. Upon request the Development Department will provide a list of RRP-certified contractors that the Development Department knows would be qualified to perform federally-funded work. (RRP refers to a required US EPA lead paint-related certification.) The homeowner will be in charge of soliciting and selecting a bid responsive to the approved scope of work within the authorized limit of assistance. Any contractor(s) chosen by the homeowner to bid on the scope of work should participate in an on-site pre-bid walkthrough with the homeowner before placing a bid. Although the homeowner is encouraged to solicit multiple bids, no minimum required number of bids will be necessary provided that the applicant produces a bid by a qualified contractor which is reasonable in amount and adheres to the approved scope of work.
- Once a contractor is chosen, a contract must be executed between the homeowner and the contractor before the work begins. The Development Department will coordinate the creation of a contract and help the homeowner and contractor coordinate the project start date and work schedule. Any change orders to the initial contract must be fully justified and specifically approved to be authorized for program assistance; change orders which will put the project beyond the total limit of assistance will not usually be authorized unless the applicant provides satisfactory proof that another source of funds is available to cover the balance of the change order cost.
- During the performance of the work, a homeowner may not assist with the work or be present where the contractor is working. In the case of any home built before 1978, the contractor must follow lead-safe work practices and ensure that any paint chips created by the disturbance of a painted surface are properly cleaned up. It is also important that any paint chip cleanup be properly inspected by a licensed lead risk assessor and that the site achieves clearance.
- At the completion of the job, a city representative will inspect the work with the homeowner, and the homeowner will have to indicate satisfaction with the work for the contractor to be paid. In general, interim requests for payment will not be authorized to be paid from program funds; in the event that any interim payment could be made, an interim work inspection would be required in support of that payment.
Further Information on Loan Forgiveness:The date on which program funds are fully disbursed to pay a contractor for work marks the date when the forgiveness period begins – the clock begins ticking toward ultimate forgiveness of the loaned amount upon final payment.
At the end of five years the loan is eligible to be fully forgiven, with 20% of the loaned amount being forgiven on the anniversary of the contractor payment until the date a full forgiveness. Until the loan is fully forgiven, a lien will be recorded against the assisted property.
To achieve full forgiveness, the homeowner must continue to own and reside in the home receiving repair assistance through the program for the full forgiveness period and must meet all program criteria for full forgiveness as may be detailed in the program policies and procedures. In the event that the homeowner wishes to have the lien removed or does not meet all program criteria for full forgiveness, any balance of the loan remaining at that point in time will be due and payable.
This link provides access to the application for the programs described above.
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