Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) Program

How it works

CHIP stands for Community Housing Impact and Preservation. The page says the program is a partnership among the City of Wooster, the City of Orrville, Wayne County, and the Wayne Metropolitan Housing Authority, with support from the City of Rittman and funding from federal, state, and local sources. It serves homeowners, homebuyers, and landlords throughout Wayne County.

What the money covers

For homeowners, the page describes two key tracks: private rehabilitation and homeownership assistance. Private rehabilitation can pay for repairs needed to make a home safe and secure, including plumbing upgrades, roof repairs, kitchen upgrades, appliance replacement, removal of lead-based paint, siding repairs, electrical upgrades, and other needed repairs. The homeownership assistance track helps future homeowners buy and repair an older home, covering down payment and safety repairs. The page also notes emergency home-repair grants, rental rehabilitation, and down-payment assistance as other CHIP uses.

Amounts and matching

The page says private rehabilitation is available with up to $75,000 in funding. Those loans are 3-year deferred, no-interest loans that are forgiven proportionally each year until fully forgiven. The homeownership assistance track is a 0% deferred second mortgage forgiven over three years, or 33% per year. For landlords, the page says they must provide a minimum 25% match, and CHIP can cover the remaining amount up to 75% through a 5- to 15-year forgivable/deferred loan depending on the grant amount. The page does not give a single maximum for the countywide program as a whole.

How to apply

The first step is to contact the CHIP administrator and answer pre-qualifying questions. Applicants may then be asked to schedule an appointment and submit an application. The page says bank statements, mortgage payment histories, proof of income, and identification such as Social Security cards and/or driver’s licenses may be required.

Timing and deadlines

The page says CHIP continues to take applications while funds remain available. Projects are reviewed and ranked by the partnership, early and complete applications are encouraged, and not every applicant will receive assistance.