Bell : Program of Home Repair Grants Increased to $5,000

Larger grants will be available for low- and moderate-income residents of Bell who need to renovate their homes, but landlords will no longer qualify for remodeling rebates, the City Council has decided.

Residents in owner-occupied, single-family homes may apply for grants of up to $5,000 for improvements such as paint, roofing, plumbing and electrical repairs. Before the new guidelines were approved last week, the grants were limited to $3,000 per household. The council cited skyrocketing housing repair costs for the increase.

When it was initiated in 1987, the rebate program included landlords. Now, the city will refer owners of rental properties to the county’s Community Development Commission.

The city’s program also was broadened to include low-interest home loans of up to $25,000, at a rate of 5% over 15 years.

No-interest, deferred loans of up to $12,000, one of the original offerings in the city’s housing program, continue to be available to low-income families.