Rehabilitation Assistance

How it works

The City of Shreveport says owners who live in their homes can apply for rehab assistance to repair sub-standard properties so they meet minimum housing quality standards and code requirements. Assistance can be a grant or a loan/grant combination, depending on the case.

What the money covers

The city says assistance is limited to code requirements as determined by the housing inspector and/or rehab specialist, and is not available for luxury items.

The page names several rehab tracks, including:

• Minor Repair Program for repairs that create danger to the health and safety of the household, such as plumbing leaks, exposed raw sewerage, hot water heaters, and gas leaks.
• Major Systems Repair Program for a reasonably stable house with failing systems, including electrical, roof, heating ventilation and air conditioning, and foundation/floor-related repairs.

Amounts and matching

• The page does not give a single grant cap for rehab overall.
• It says the maximum lifetime federal assistance to any one property is $50,000, subject to appraised value.
• Grants are available only when the applicant can show there is not enough income to support loan repayment.

How to apply

The official page directs applicants to the city’s housing staff for help and says loans and loan/grant combinations are evaluated under program guidelines such as credit, income, and debt-to-income ratios.

Timing and deadlines

• The page says Major Systems Repair Program applications are accepted only during the month of August if there is not a waiting list.
• No other annual schedule is stated on the page.

Important limits

• Properties deemed infeasible for repair are not eligible.
• All properties must be free of adverse encumbrances such as judgments and/or liens.
• Applicants must have owned and occupied the property for two years.