The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (the “Department” or “DCEO”) is issuing this Notice of Funding Opportunity (“NOFO”) to solicit applications for the 2025 Housing Rehabilitation Grant opportunity funded by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Donor Name: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
State: Illinois
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 12/04/2024
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The purpose of grants relative to the Housing Rehabilitation (HR) Notice of Funding Opportunity is to provide units of general local government with funds to address housing needs of eligible low-to-moderate income (LMI) households. The program targets projects which preserve single-family, owner-occupied housing needing rehabilitation and encourage neighborhood revitalization. As this is a direct benefit activity, 100 percent of CDBG housing rehabilitation funds must benefit low-to-moderate income persons. CDBG funds can be used to rehabilitate only those homes occupied by families verified to be of low-to-moderate income. Project must rehabilitate a minimum of eight (8) homes.
Applications must demonstrate the need for housing rehabilitation and support for the proposed project from eligible residents of the project area. Need should be demonstrated through the submission of surveys, completed within 24 months of the application filing date. Resident support can be demonstrated through submission of public meeting minutes and/or resident signup sheets.
Funding Information
- Total amount of funding expected to be awarded through this NOFO is $7,000,000. Awards will range from $300,000 to $650,000.
- The period of performance is expected to be two years from the grant execution date. The period of performance is expected to be two years from the grant execution date.
Eligible Activities
Eligible activities include:
- Labor and materials,
- Replacement of principal fixtures and components of existing structures;
- Water and sewer connections (if needed for code compliance):
- Initial homeowner warranty premium;
- Hazard insurance premium;
- Flood insurance premium;
- Conservation costs for water and energy efficiency;
- Garages where health & safety issues have been identified;
- Evaluating and treating lead-based paint; and
- Removal of architectural barriers that restrict the mobility and accessibility of elderly or severely disabled persons.
- Rehabilitation to a single-family, owner-occupied residential property that is also used as a place of business and is required to operate the business may be considered homeowner rehabilitation (as opposed to commercial rehabilitation) if the improvements provide general benefit to the residential occupants of the building.
The following activities are specifically identified as ineligible:
- Construction of buildings, or portions thereof, used predominantly for the general conduct of government (e.g., city halls, courthouses, jails, police stations).
- General government expenses.
- Costs of operating and maintaining public facilities and services (e.g., mowing parks, replacing street light bulbs).
- Servicing or refinancing of existing debt.
- No elected official or official appointed to an elected position is eligible for rehabilitation assistance.
Criteria
Eligible Applicants include:
- Only units of general local government (i.e., cities, villages, townships and counties) may apply for funding. County and township applicants should not include areas that are incorporated within a city or village. Incorporated areas must apply on their own behalf, regardless of whether a water district or sanitary district is involved. Only units of local government recognized by the Illinois Constitution and able to support economic development activities on a sufficient scale are eligible to apply for Economic Development grant funding. This includes cities, villages, and counties.
- Units of local government may apply for one grant per competitive program per year.
- Applicants that received a grant in the previous year must demonstrate reasonable progress by the time the application is reviewed, or it will not be considered. Applications that further a project in progress, whether funded with or without CDBG funds, will not be accepted.
For more information, visit DCEO.