Housing Repair Services (HRS) Program
Housing Repair Services Program (HRS) provides home repairs and accessibility modifications to low-income homeowners, particularly elderly and/or disabled owners. The services allow owner-occupants to remain in their dwelling units and help maintain the quality of housing stock in the City.
HRS offers the following type of repairs to qualified households:
Emergency Repairs – up to $5,000 and limited to two per household per year, examples include:
Broken water lines where water is pouring, not dripping, out of the line; Client’s only accessible toilet is stopped up or otherwise unusable; Presence of gas fumes; No heat; AC not working in heat emergency where a member of the household is vulnerable due to health conditions. An electrical condition that poses a fire threat.
Immediate Repairs – up to $10,000 and can include:
modifications and accessibility improvements for physically disabled individuals like wheelchair ramps, electric lifts, grab bars/handrails.
Critical Repairs – up to $20,000 and can include:
Defects affecting the integrity of the structure or shell of the house like leaking roofs and gutters, decayed and/or damaged siding, failing foundations, damaged or failed support beams.
Individual homeowner occupants of property, not exceeding 3 dwelling units per building, of which one unit is occupied by the owner, within the boundaries of the City of Cincinnati. For repairs up to $10,000 in the Emergency Repairs, Immediate Repairs, and Critical Repairs programs, homeowners meeting these criteria must qualify by income, which in the previous 12-month period shall not exceed a maximum of 50 percent of the median income for the City, and by family size, as defined by HUD. In cases in which a Critical Repair exceeds $10,000 AND City approval occurs, then the homeowner’s income cannot exceed a maximum of 35 percent of the median income for the City, during the previous 12-month period, and the homeowner must be 60 years old or older, or be disabled.
Contact
Agency: Department of Community and Economic Development (513) 352-6146
Service Provider: People Working Cooperatively (513) 351-7921
Service Provider: Max Construction Group (513) 381-1793
Compliance Assistance Repairs for the Elderly (CARE) Program
The CARE Program serves the people of Cincinnati through the efforts of the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency (CAA) by providing grants to low income, elderly or disabled homeowner-occupants to correct City of Cincinnati code violations issued pursuant to the Neighborhood Enhancement Program’s (NEP) “house to house” exterior property condition inspection. Services may include repairs to a leaking roof, dilapidated porch, unsafe stairs, defective siding, painting and other similar repairs required under the Cincinnati Housing Code. To apply or for more information, please contact the Community Action Agency at 513-569-1840 ext. 1466.
