Deferred Interest-Bearing Loan (DIBL)

How it works

Washington County’s Housing Rehabilitation program provides Deferred Interest-Bearing Loans (DIBL) to help eligible homeowners complete critical repairs. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and is intended to benefit low- and moderate-income homeowners in Washington County.

Applicants contact the Office of Community Development, complete a questionnaire with staff, and, if they appear eligible, receive an application. After the application is processed, a Rehabilitation Specialist may contact the applicant for more information and inspect the property to determine what repairs are needed. Health and safety items are a priority. Once a scope of work is agreed upon, the Rehabilitation Specialist bids the project with local contractors. After a contractor is selected, the work is scheduled. When repairs are finished, staff complete a final inspection and pay the contractor.

What the money covers

The page says the program can be used for critical home repairs. Eligible repairs include roofing; heating systems; interior and exterior painting; electrical wiring, fixtures, panels or systems; porches, walls, and structural load-bearing walls; foundations; health and safety items; removal and replacement of decks and porches when they provide direct access or egress or have a code violation; items needed to correct miscellaneous code violations; accessibility modifications such as widening doors, ramps, walk-in or roll-in showers, grab bars, hearing-impaired smoke detectors, specialty plumbing fixtures, lowering light switches, and other permanent accessibility fixtures; insulation; windows; doors; siding; flooring; tree removal if a code violation is causing damage to the home or plumbing systems; plumbing; exterior water lines from street connection to home; exterior water and sewer connections and lines on the exterior of the home; well or septic repair; septic dumping; fencing only when a property has a code violation from Code Enforcement or a homeowners association; and ceiling repair.

Amounts and matching

The loan amount is up to $25,000. It carries 3% deferred interest for 10 years, after which interest accrual stops. No payments are required during the term of the loan. The loan is repaid when the home transfers ownership; if the homeowner sells in the future, or heirs sell the home later, the loan is due in full from the proceeds of the sale.

How to apply

Interested homeowners contact the Office of Community Development at 503-846-8897 or email [email protected]. Staff complete a questionnaire to see whether the homeowner may qualify. If the homeowner may qualify, an application is mailed, emailed, or faxed and can be returned by mail, email, fax, or dropped off at 328 W Main Street Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97123.

Timing and deadlines

Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no stated application deadline on the page.

Important notes

If a homeowner already has an existing loan and has not reached the maximum amount, they may reapply and go through the qualifying process again. If a homeowner has received a HARDE Grant, they must wait three years before being eligible for additional DIBL assistance. If a homeowner is on the waiting list for a HARDE Grant, they may close that application and apply for a DIBL loan if they meet the qualification criteria.