In collaboration with our community, we’ve enhanced Public House to better support Repair, Restoration, and Aging in Place programs.
How Home Repair / Preservation is different from Homeownership
Funding
- Some programs have access to unrestricted funds.
- Some programs are restricted to specific funding for specific types of repairs.
- Some programs are contracted by the city for specific types of repairs.
- Some of the funding is not specific to the type of repair but to the households. For example, there are lots of resources available to veterans.
Waitlists
| Homeownership | Home Repair |
| Homeownership is restricted by the number of homes. Homeownership has a huge demand. | Home Repair is restricted by the funds and or availability of the construction team. Home Repair works more as a queue than a waitlist. (Some programs also have a huge demand) |
Screening Forms
| Homeownership | Home Repair |
| Screening forms are for interested households to join a waitlist/lottery. Screening Forms are unmanaged. Staff only reviews the dashboards. | Home Repair reviews Intake records to identify compatibility with funding/resources by repair and or application profile. (Some programs have unrestricted funds as well) |
Audience
We understand that repair programs have a higher percentage of elderly and technically challenged households applying. Staff can always assist these households online or in person. If they have to use a paper application, the staff can easily enter it into the system on their behalf. Additional measures and support for these users will be a focus in 2023.
New Screening Form Questions
Eligibility Questions
- Do you have a current homeowner’s insurance policy?
- Are you current on your property taxes?
- Do you plan to move in the next 5 years?
- Do you own and occupy the home that is in need of repairs?
- Have you owned and lived in the home for 18 months or more?
- Do you have a mortgage, land contract or is your house paid off?
- Are you current on your mortgage payments?
- Are you a veteran or widower of a veteran?
Repair Types
On the screening form, clients can display the types of repairs its program addresses.
- Landscaping
- Fencing
- House Paint (exterior)
- House Paint (interior)
- Porch
- Stairs
- Windows
- Doors
- Rain Gutters / Eaves Drops
- Siding
- Roof
- Water heater
- Furnace
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Flooring
- Free home energy assessment (provided by BWL or Consumers)
Accessibility / Modification
Does your home require accessibility modifications in order to be livable?
Does anyone living in the home have any of the following
types of disabilities (check all that apply):
- Wheelchair bound
- Uses a walker, cane, or crutches
- Age in place
- Blind / visually impaired
- Deaf / hard of hearing
- Loss of limb
- Mentally disabled
- Other, please describe
New Application Questions/Required Documents
Questions Mapped from Screening Form
- Type of Ownership – Creates the appropriate Required Document for mortgage, land contract or title
- Intake Repair Requests – not part of program eligibility but useful to inform your repair assessment team
Home Details/Current Living Situation
- How many years ago was your home built? Less than 20 years, 20-40 years, more than 40 years (*This question is to assess if there are potential issues with lead pre-1970 and to generally understand how old the house is),
- Did you purchase your home more than 18 months ago?
- Have you received a foreclosure notice for this home? (rewording of existing Foreclosure question)
- Is there anyone on the deed that does not live in the home?
- Are they living or deceased?
Household Member
- Does your home require accessibility modifications in order to be livable? (reword the Special Needs question)
- Military Status
- What branch of the U.S. Armed Forces did you serve in?
- How many Total Active Service days did you complete?, Help text: Total Active Service can be found on your DD214 Military Service Record, Warning for < 180 days (need feedback)
- What type of discharge did you receive? Help text: Character of Service can be found on your DD214 Military Service Record. Options: Honorable, General Under Honorable Conditions, Other than honorable, Uncharacterized, Bad conduct, DishonorableWere you discharged honorably?
- Are you a widow or widower of a veteran?
- What branch of the U.S. Armed Forces did your spouse serve in?
- How many Total Active Service days did your spouse complete?, Help Text: Total Active Service can be found on your DD214 Military Service Record, Warning for < 180 days (need feedback)
- What type of discharge did your spouse receive? Help text: Character of Service can be found on your DD214 Military Service Record. Options: Honorable, General Under Honorable Conditions, Other than honorable, Uncharacterized, Bad conduct, DishonorableWere you discharged honorably?
Required Documents related to Property
- Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
- Depending on Type of Ownership
- Mortgage – Most recent mortgage or reverse mortgage statement
- Land contract – Recorded Land Contract (many orgs do not work with Land Contract)
- House is paid off – Recorder warranty or quit claim deed
- Property tax statement
- Most recent utility bills: gas, power, or water (at least one)
- For veterans or widow/widower of veteran – DD 214
- For deceased individual(s) on title – Death certificate
Income Source Types more common to Home Repair
- Alimony or child support
- Foster/adoption subsidy
- Subsidized housing
- Food assistance
- TANF emergency funding
- Social Security, SSI, or disability
Assets, Debts and Homeownership Interest sections are typically not used by Home Repair Programs. Do you need Assets?
Queues and Invitations
Home Repair requires a different approach than Homeownership/Rental programs.
Unrestricted Funds – Orgs with unrestricted funds are a straightforward first come / first serve
Restricted Funds – Orgs can report on screening forms (Intake records) and potential funding sources and invite
Prospects will be automatically reminded to periodically update their screening forms (6 or 12 months). They will have the option to opt-out. If they do not respond be their deadline, they will automatically opt-out.
Reports to Funders
- Seniors, children, veterans, disabled households
- Volume, type of repairs, costs, etc.
Communications
All the standard Public House communications are available. Habitats may wish to communicate to Home Repair Prospects general information for the current Home Repair backlog and processing rate.
Screening Form update reminders can include very general position in the waitlist – enough to give the prospect some feeling of priority and forward progress. For example, Our Home Repair backlog is currently 2 years. We are processing appx 200 Home Repairs per year. Your position in the waitlist would place you in our 2024 year of repairs.