City of Clarksville grants available to Low-Income Families for Emergency Home Repair

Starting April 26th, Clarksville homeowners who meet the criteria will have the opportunity to apply for assistance through the Emergency Homeowner Rehabilitation Program (EHRP) to cover the expenses that affect the immediate habitability of their residence.

Eligible expenses include but are not limited to lack of running water, roof replacements, electricity, plumbing, or heating/cooling renewals of owner-occupied units to bring them up to state or local code.

The first-of-its-kind initiative for the City is a subset of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) “Community Development Block Grant” (CDBG) program. According to CNCS Project Manager and program lead Clarissa Tucker, the City of Clarksville is an entitlement community and receives CDBG funds directly from HUD.

As a grantee of the program, CNCS received guidance and was given the flexibility from HUD to design an all-new ‘repair and rehabilitation program’ to meet the needs of low-income residents in Clarksville, thus creating the Clarksville-specific Emergency Homeowner Rehabilitation program.

Who can apply for EHRP?

To be eligible for EHRP, residents must live within the city limits of Clarksville. All property taxes and mortgage payments must be current, and the homeowner must be low-income and occupy the property as a primary residence. Please see the income chart below, which states the household income perimeters as determined by HUD. Additionally, the home’s value after rehabilitation must not exceed 95% of the median purchase for the area.

Household size by person	income limit
1	$35,500
2	$40,600
3	$45,650
4	$50,700
5	$54,800
6	$58,850
7	$62,900
8th	$66,950

Household income perimeters, effective June 1st, 2021, as determined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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What makes EHRP different from other HUD programs?

Grantees, such as CNCS, can currently use CDBG for loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies, limited grants, or other forms of assistance for homeowners to conduct house repairs or rehabilitation improvements.

However, EHRP is a 5-year forgivable grant (money the homeowner does not pay back) under the condition that the homeowner resides on the property more than five years after receiving the grant. CNCS also offers low-interest loans under the Substantial Rehabilitation Program; please contact CNCS for more details.

Is there a monetary limit to the number of repairs, rehabilitation, or reconstruction to the home, and what type of improvements can be made?

Emergency repairs of the house may not exceed $20,000. Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to:

• Accessibility improvements

• Electrical repairs

• Environmental corrections

• Installing new steps

• Installing smoke detectors

• New gutters and downspouts

• Repairing or replacing leaking roofs

• Replacement of water heaters

• Replacing windows or doors

• weather stripping

When can we apply for EHRP?

Starting today, applicants seeking emergency repair assistance may submit applications by visiting the CNCS website at www.cityofclarksville.com/248/Housing-Rehabilitation-Program or the CNCS office directly at One Public Square, Suite 201, Clarksville, TN 37040.

Currently, CNCS is assessing the list of potential contractors and subcontractors who have solicited to join CNCS in a public-private partnership to support EHRP through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) application. Any contractors or subcontractors interested in submitting to the RFQ may contact our purchasing department at 931.553.2477. Interested parties can obtain a copy of the RFQ from the city’s Purchasing website at www.cityofclarksville.com/205/Purchasing.

For more information on EHRP, please visit the CNCS website or contact Clarissa Tucker at clarissa.tucker@cityofclarksville.com or 931.648.6133.

About Clarksville Neighborhood & Community Services

The Clarksville Neighborhood & Community Services’ mission is to revitalize neighborhoods, preserve or create affordable housing opportunities, and advocate for the marginalized.