The City of Lubbock’s Community Development department is providing housing rehabilitation to low-income homeowners through a Major Rehab program.
Community Development Director Karen Murfee said this program is funded by federal grants and facilitated through their office.
“It’s for homeowners, low-mod income,” Murfee said. “There’s an income limit that we receive from HUD every year. Then they have to be living in the home and they have to have their name as the owner on the deed.”
Anyone interested must fill out an application through their office. Then their board will interview each applicant and select a recommendation that will be reviewed by city council.
“This is a loan program,” Murfee said. “Part of it is a grant because we want the houses to be safe and sanitary and up to code. The grant pays for part of that but some of it is part of a loan.”
The homeowners will have to pay the remaining three percent of the expenses.
“Usually the way they pay back the grant is by living in the house,” Murfee said. “So they have to own the house and maintain that as their primary residence.”
Murfee added this project covers major projects of the house, like roofing, plumbing, and painting.
If there are specific projects someone is looking to receive help with, Community Development also offers a minor rehab program that focuses on a single project.
“Right now we have an open enrollment for our minor rehabs,” Murfee said. “Those minor rehab are not a loan. We are looking at doing a partial payback.”
More information on both of these programs can be found on the Community Development website here.
