Home Repairs & Improvements

Over 36,000 local households have one or more severe housing problems such as a lack of complete plumbing.

CPAH provides grants and loans to help homeowners make their homes safe, healthy, and code-compliant.

Grants:

Eligible homeowners may receive up to $40,000 to make necessary life-safety, health and accessibility repairs and improvements.

In Lake County, assistance is structured as a 0%-interest forgivable loan with no monthly payments. The Lake County waitlist is currently closed except for residents of the City of North Chicago.

In Cook County, grant assistance may be structured as a 0%-interest forgivable loan with no monthly payments or as loan, depending on the program. The Cook County waitlist is currently closed except for residents of the City of Evanston.

Loans:

CPAH also partners with Wintrust Financial Corporation to provide loans of up to $20,000 for repairs, accessibility improvements and other home improvements.

Assistance is structured as a 3%-interest loan with monthly payments, payable over a maximum ten-year period.

Loans can be paired with the grant program if the homeowner exceeds the available grant amount or would like to make improvements that are not eligible under the grant program.

Eligible grant improvements:

  • Roofing
  • Windows & doors
  • Heating & cooling
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Lead Based Paint, mold and asbestos remediation
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Flooring
  • Foundation and structural repairs
  • And More!

Key eligibility criteria:

  • Assistance is available for homes anywhere in Lake County and Cook County
  • The rehabilitation must result in a sustainable and habitable living environment
  • Homeowners must use the home as their principal residence
  • Homeowners must be current on property taxes
  • Homeowners must have homeowner’s insurance
  • Homeowners must meet relevant underwriting criteria
  • Annual GROSS household income (i.e. the combined pre-tax income from all sources for all members of the household) cannot exceed the below limits. Income limits are based on household size
Household Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
80% AMI $58,350 $66,700 $75,050 $83,350 $90,050 $96,700 $103,400 $110,050

How to apply:

For home repairs in North Chicago, please call (847) 263-7478 ext. 10 for a pre-screening to determine potential eligibility.

For the City of Evanston, please call the City of Evanston Housing Rehabilitation Coordinator at (847) 448-8033.

The waitlist for other communities is currently closed.

Construction Process:

Once you are approved and ready to move forward with construction, the Timeline and Sequence of Events document outlines what you can expect from the process.