HOME ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM (HEP)
The Home Enhancement Program (HEP) is designed to help income-qualified homeowners fix or repair exterior problems to their homes such as minor roofing, broken/ missing windows, exterior paint, etc. The grant funds may be used to eliminate health and safety issues**, make the home more energy-efficient, and undertake eligible exterior.
Eligibility:
- Total Household Income must be no greater than 80% of the Median Household Income for Riverside County for the household size;
- A non-refundable application fee of $ 35.00, per household, is needed to process the application;
- The applicant must be the owner-occupant of the property;
- The property must be located within an unincorporated area or cooperating City of the County;
- The dwelling must be a stick-built or modular (attached to private land) owner-occupied single-family residence on the property Owner’s private property.
- Owner on title must be either a US Citizen or Qualified Alien as per Section 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWORA).
Applications are on a first-come, first-served basis until allocated funding is exhausted.
Image
Eligible Home Enhancement Improvements
Examples of Improvements under the Home Enhancement Grant Program include:
- Roofing
- Flashing
- Gutters and downspouts
- Doors, weatherization
- Wall repairs; siding or stucco repairs
- Windows & screens
- Exterior painting
- Light fixtures
- Fencing
- Step repairs
- Fascia boards
- Upgrades to energy efficient double paned windows
- Locks and doors
- Repairs or replacement of damaged and falling fencing (equivalent to existing fencing material)
- Exterior lighting
- Removal of aging, dangerous trees and/or hedges (to be considered for this service, a homeowner will be required to install a water smart landscape, gardening, and/or vegetation upon project completion).
The list of repairs provided above does not encompass all eligible repairs. The scope of work for repairs will be established during the on-site inspection, and eligibility will be assessed during the review process.
Ineligible: Improvements
** Includes, but not limited to interior repairs/improvements, plumbing, and/or landscaping.
Eligible Locations
District 1
- Wildomar
- Unincorporated communities of De Luz, Good Hope, Highgrove, La Cresta, March Air Reserve Base, Mead Valley, Meadowbrook and Tenaja.
District 2
- Eastvale
- Norco
- Lake Elsinore – Metro City
- Canyon Lake
- Unincorporated communities within the 2nd Supervisorial District include Coronita, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Home Gardens, Lake Mathews, Lakeland Village, Temescal Valley, Warm Springs and Woodcrest.
District 3
- Murrieta
- Unincorporated communities of Aguanga, Anza Valley, East Hemet, French Valley, Green Acres, Homeland, Lake Riverside, Sage, Winchester and parts of Valle Vista
District 4
- Blythe
- Coachella
- Desert Hot Springs
- Rancho Mirage
- La Quinta
- Unincorporated communities in the district include Bermuda Dunes, Chiriaco Summit, Colorado River communities, Desert Center, Desert Edge, Eagle Mountain, Idyllwild, Indio Hills, Lake Tamarisk, Mecca, Mesa Verde, Mountain Center, North Shore, Oasis, Pine Cove, Ripley, Sky Valley, Sun City, Thermal, Thousand Palms and Vista Santa Rosa.
District 5
- Banning
- Beaumont
- Calimesa
- San Jacinto
- Unincorporated communities of Cabazon, Cherry Valley, Lakeview, Nuevo, Reche Canyon, San Timoteo Canyon, as well as parts of Valle Vista and Whitewater.
How to Apply
Please download a eligibility Self-Check Checklist here, and submit to the HWS Home Enhancement staff for pre-screening of program eligibility.
A Home Enhancement member will review the pre-application and make contact to provide a status and next steps.
If you have any questions regarding this application or need further assistance, please contact the Home Enhancement Department at (951) 955-0358/ (760) 863-2586 or by email at RivcoHEP@rivco.org.
Application Process
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility (Provide items for eligibility)
Provide description see sample Eligible homeowners may receive a grant of up to $50,000 for exterior and functionality repairs. Homeowners interested in applying for the Home Enhancement Grant Program must be low-income (80% Area Median Income) and live in a single-family home.
Income Limits:
| Household Size | HOME FTHB 80% AMI |
|---|---|
| 1 | $52,200 |
| 2 | $59,650 |
| 3 | $67,100 |
| 4 | $74,550 |
| 5 | $80,550 |
| 6 | $86,500 |
| 7 | $92,450 |
| 8 | $98,450 |
Step 2: Confirm Property Eligibility
- The Homeowner must be an owner-occupant with the home as their primary residence for a minimum of one year prior to application.
- All properties must be single-family, stick-built, manufactured, or modular homes affixed to the property owner’s private property.
- Subject property must be the only real property owned by the applicant.
- The household living in the property must qualify as a low-income household (at or below 80% of the County Median Income per HUD Income Limits).
- The property must be currently insured by a valid property insurance policy including flood coverage if in a flood zone. (In some instances, the house may need to have repair measures in order to be insured. If these conditions exist, the repairs that will enable the homeowner to obtain insurance may be completed, but homeowner’s insurance must be obtained prior to project completion).
- Individual properties will be thoroughly assessed on a case-by-case basis.
- The County reserves the right to deny eligibility in the event of any of the following:
- a. The total anticipated cost of the improvements/enhancements is less than $100 and exceeds the maximum amount of $50,000.
- b. Inspection results prove that substantial improvement outcomes will not be realized; or
- c. Rehabilitation of the property will not be cost-effective to the owner or the County.
- The County reserves the right to deny eligibility in the event of any of the following:
- The property shall be maintained in compliance with all state and local laws and regulations. The property shall maintain occupancy not to exceed the maximum occupancy limits as established by HUD. Property owners shall not permit property improvements to suffer unreasonable deterioration or decline; or maintain, cause, or permit to be maintained, any public nuisance on the property.
Forms:
Contacts:
For more information on the Home Enhancement Grant Program, please contact:
Grace Escobar
4th and 5th Supervisorial District
(760) 863-2586
Miguel Quijada
2nd and 5th Supervisorial District
(951) 955-0358
Email: Rivcohep@rivco.org
Note: Application submissions are on a first-come, first-served basis until allocated funding is exhausted.
Image
