Galesburg City Council on Monday night approved a Housing Repair Assistance Program that will put dollars toward helping residents bring their homes up to code.
The Council set a goal in their strategic planning sessions this year to improve the condition of Galesburg’s existing housing.
The program would provide grants up to $4,500 for moderate-to-low income homeowners
Eligible activities are meant to bring homes into compliance with housing standards and adopted construction codes and ordinances by using licensed/registered contractors to make repairs.
Some eligible activities include improvements to a building’s accessibility, the installation of smoke alarms, demolition of unsafe sheds, the replacement of HVAC equipment at least 15 years old, repairs to electrical and plumbing issues, and minor roof repairs.
Interim City Manager Wayne Carl says, “The goal is to do repairs that need to be done. Be it electrical, plumbing, maybe the roof has a leak in it and the homeowner just can’t afford to replace it.”
Residents can submit grant applications or any questions to the Community Development Department.
