The City of Macomb has once again partnered with Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC) to offer two home repair programs to citizens of Macomb: A Housing Rehabilitation grant, and a Home Repair and Accessibility grant. Each grant has its own eligibility criteria, but they both aim to help lower-income households with making repairs to their home that they otherwise would not be able to afford. Applicants must live within the city limits of Macomb to apply, and must own and live in the home that needs repairs.
“Bringing over $1 million into Macomb for low to moderate income homeowners to fix up their homes will be transformative for the recipients and be a welcome boost to the entire neighborhoods around them,” stated John Bannon, Community Development Coordinator for the City. “Anyone who thinks they might be eligible should absolutely call WIRC at 309-837-2997 and get on the list – we want to help as many people as possible and there is no cost or downside to calling and asking.”
To apply, a household’s combined gross income cannot exceed these amounts during a year: one-person household: $46,300; two-person household: $52,900; three-person household: $59,500; four-person household: $66,100; five-person household: $71,400; six-person household: $76,700. For households of seven people or more, add $5,300 for each person.
The Macomb Housing Rehabilitation grant can help lower-income homeowners with projects such as fixing health and safety hazards, code violations, structural failures, handicap accessibility, energy conservation, and/or general home improvements. To be considered, applicants must live in a specific target area in the northeast region of Macomb. A map showing this target area is available at wirpc.org/macomb/ or interested applicants can call WIRC at 309-837-2997.
The Macomb Home Repair and Accessibility grant helps eligible homeowners with roof repair, removing health and safety hazards, and/or installing accessibility improvements for ease of use such as wheelchair ramps. This grant is open to the entire City of Macomb, with priority given to homes in Census Tracts 104, 105, 106, and 109. A map is available online at wirpc.org/macomb/ or interested applicants can call WIRC at 309-837-2997.
WIRC officials say these two grants target certain regions of the City so they can make the biggest impact with their limited funding.
“If a certain region of Macomb is not eligible to apply for these grants, that is because the average income level of that area is too high to qualify,” said Jamie Roth, WIRC Public Relations Manager. “Everyone is welcome to contact WIRC to tell us their situation and check if they qualify for these or other housing rehab programs offered by the Agency.”
Applications will be taken until grant funding runs out. Roth continued that the number of households they are able to help depends on the types of hazards that need to be fixed at each home.
“Several homes that need a complete roof replacement are obviously going to use a larger percentage of our grant funds than multiple homes that only need smaller projects completed such as wheelchair ramps,” Roth said. “These grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so we strongly encourage the public to contact WIRC as soon as possible to see if they qualify.”
Information about these grants can be found on WIRC’s website at wirpc.org/Macomb/.
To apply or ask if you are eligible, contact Darrin Taflinger at WIRC by calling 309-837-2997 between 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or emailing darrin@wirpc.org.
Funding for these projects are provided by the Community Development Block Grant and the Illinois Housing Development Authority.
WIRC and the City of Macomb are equal housing and equal opportunity employers.