Resources for Homeowners & Renters

The Safe Home Housing Rehabilitation Program provides deferred loans to low-income homeowners to address needed home repairs. The program seeks to correct code and incipient violations (items in a house that will need to be repaired or replaced in two to three years) and make general property improvements. The program serves single-family owner-occupied dwellings. 

The Safe Home requirements are noted below: 

To Qualify, All of the Following Requirements Must Be Met: 

• The home must be owner-occupied and located within the City of Charlotte. 
• The applicant(s) must not have received Housing Rehabilitation assistance within the last 10 years, or LeadSafe Charlotte assistance during the current grant cycle. 
• The household must be low-income, below 60% of Area Median Income, as defined by HUD Part 5. Households participating in the LeadSafe Charlotte Program may qualify with an income up to 80% AMI. 
• The property must not be located in a floodplain. 
• The applicant(s) must have lived in the home for at least one year prior to applying. 
• The property must not have unpaid taxes beyond the current year plus one prior year and no outstanding federal, state, or local liens. 
• The property must be free of excessive clutter that would prevent safe rehabilitation work. 

At least One of the Following Conditions Must Also Be Met: 

• The home is occupied by one or more elderly persons 62 or older. 
• The home is occupied by one or more persons, including an adult or child with a permanent or long-term disability, or a physical impairment that impedes daily living (the child must reside in the home at least 50% of the time). 
• The household member must receive Veterans benefits, Social Security Disability (SSD), long-term disability income from an employer or insurer or provide a formal notice from a physician. 
• The household meets LeadSafe Charlotte eligibility requirements.

Information and Assistance Policy Referral

If your home was built before 1978, you should have your home tested. All children should be tested for lead poisoning at the discretion of their physician. Contact the LeadSafe Charlotte Hotline at 704-336-2114 to see if you qualify for free testing and free blood testing for children enrolled in our program. Applicants eligible for assistance under the LeadSafe Charlotte must:

• Own in a dwelling that was built before 1978
• Have a household income that does not exceed 80 percent of the area median income for the household size (occupant income is evaluated to determine eligibility for rental properties)
• Have a child under the age of six residing or visiting in the home more than six hours a week (owner occupied units) or are currently pregnant
• Rental units are not required to have children under six present, however, upon unit turnover, the property owner must commit to making the unit available to families with children under six

When funding is available, LeadSafe Charlotte provides grants to assist low-income homeowners with addressing unsafe lead paint conditions that pose a potential health hazard to young children. The program is designed to assist owners of single and multi-family dwellings and investor owners of properties with two or more bedrooms. Some of the services we offer for those who qualify:

• Free lead inspections at your home
• Free blood testing of children (finger stick)
• Free remediation of lead hazards at your home or rental property

The Safe Home Asthma Program, or SHAP, funds repairs that reduce asthma triggers in the home, including repairs such as HVAC upgrades, carpet replacement and window replacement. SHAP pairs directly with LeadSafe Charlotte, so eligible households may be able to benefit from both programs. 

Asthma Program eligibility requirements 

To be eligible for the Safe Home Asthma Program, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

• The household must include a minor who has been diagnosed with asthma; and/or 
• The home must be occupied by a child with an elevated blood lead level, or EBL, of 5 μg/dL or greater. 
• Referrals must be submitted through a participating agency or health clinic. 
• The home must be occupied by a low-income household with an income at or below 80% of the Area Median Income, or AMI. 
• The property must be located within the City of Charlotte. 
• The homeowner must not be delinquent on property taxes by more than two years. 
• The property must not be subject to any outstanding federal, state or local liens. 

Eligible property types 

The following property types may qualify for assistance: 

• Privately owned, owner-occupied single-family residences. 
• Investor-owned single-family homes and multi-unit residential properties, provided the property owner agrees to bring all units into compliance with applicable housing codes using their own resources. 

How do I apply? 

Referrals must be submitted through a participating agency or health clinic. 

For questions, contact Alexis McDaniels at Alexis.McDaniels@charlottenc.gov or 704.336.7844 to get prequalified.

The Emergency Repair Program is designed to address immediate threats to the health and safety of residents of single-family housing which resulted from a system failure. Funding is provided in the form of a grant to the homeowner, and no liens or deed restrictions are placed on the property.

Requirements for designation as an emergency repair

ERP is intended to make immediate repairs to an essential system so that the homeowner may continue to reside in his/her home. ERP is not designed to address all housing code issues; however, the funded repair will be performed in compliance with housing codes.

Emergency repair eligibility requirements

• The emergency needs to have occurred within the last 72 hours
• The cost of the emergency repair does not exceed $10,000
• The homeowner must be either 62 years of age or older or disabled with documented proof of disability income.
• The homeowner must occupy the property to be repaired as his/her principal residence and must have lived in the home for a minimum of 6 months.
• The homeowner must provide proof of income for all residents over 18, and the household income must earn at or below 60% of the Area Median Income as defined HUD.
• The homeowner must provide all documentation requested within 10 business days of the initial request from the city.
• The homeowner must make the property accessible to the city upon request and within 48 hours of the request for assistance.
• The home must not be in danger of foreclosure.
• All household member 18 years and older must sign the application stating they cannot afford to make the repairs independently.

   

How do I apply?

Contact Alexis McDaniels at Alexis.McDaniels@charlottenc.gov or 704.336.7844 to get prequalified.