Program Overview

WHAT IS THE KNOX COUNTY HOME REHABILITATION PROGRAM?

The Knox County Home Rehabilitation (KCHR) Program provides essential repairs to eligible homeowners to prevent home deterioration, provide accessibility modifications, and maintain housing quality and safety.

There are two components of this program:

• Emergency Home Repair - Serve to address repairs that eliminate a threat to life, safety, or health of a dwelling's occupants. Repairs that meet this criteria may not require repayment from homeowners.

• Minor Home Repair Loan - covers all other eligible repairs that fall under the moderate and low priority categories. This loan is offered at a 0% interest rate and at this time, will only be offered if Emergency Repairs are also required.

Note: This program is not available for homeowners who intend to sell their property or wish to use the home for rental income upon completion of the repairs.

What REPAIRS Are Covered Under the Program?

Note: Eligibility for an Emergency Home Repairs or Minor Home Repair Loans may change upon further evaluation of the residence.

Please select “Next” to view the full list of repair activities and their Emergency Home Repairs or Minor Home Repair Loan eligibility:

Previous Next     Page: /

HOW SOON COULD I RECEIVE MY REPAIRS?

Applications are reviewed to determine eligibility and identify the repairs necessary to protect the health and safety of the homeowners. KCHR program staff prioritize applications based on severity of need and the critical nature of requested repairs; please refer to the KCHR Repair Eligibility categories in the table above. Dwellings with life threatening repairs will be addressed first, followed by those that include severe repair needs. Including clear photographs and additional comments about your repair needs in your application will help determine the severity of your home's repair needs.

Note: The submission of an application or determination of eligibility does not guarantee acceptance into the KCHR Program. Additionally, a home inspection with the KCHR Program does not guarantee that repairs will be completed or that home rehabilitation assistance will be provided. Home repair services are subject to the availability of funding.

WHAT IF I RENT MY HOME?

Only homeowners who occupy their residence are eligible for this program. Homeowners who rent the land where their residence is located, such as in a manufactured home community, are only eligible for Emergency Home Repair financial assistance up to $15,000. Exceptions may be available in cases where mitigation or abatement of hazardous materials is required. In the case of manufactured homes situated on leased land, repairs of external housing systems (i.e., septic systems) are not eligible.

If you are a renter and need assistance, please call 211 for a list of agencies that may be able to help.

IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE I CAN RECEIVE?

• The maximum amount of repair funds that a household can receive, either through Emergency Home Repair financial assistance or Minor Home Repair Loan or a combination of both, is $25,000. This is solely available to residents with a home that is attached to a permanent foundation on property that they own.
• A Minor Home Repair Loan allows eligible homeowners to borrow and repay funds to pay for repairs. Homeowners can borrow up to 95% of their home’s equity (the value of the property minus the amount owed on the mortgage), so long as the debt-to-income ratio of the applicant does not exceed 43% of their gross annual income.
• Minor Home Repair Loans are offered at 0% interest.
• A lien will be placed against the property at the same time the loan goes into effect. This lien will be removed once the loan has been fully repaid.
• Dwellings that receive Emergency Home Repairs require a forgivable lien to be placed on the home if total cost of assistance exceeds $15,000. Exceptions may be available in cases where mitigation or abatement of hazardous materials is required.
• KCHR staff will work with homeowners to set the due date and terms of the loan. The table below demonstrates the maximum length of time that loans are available based on the amount borrowed. Homeowners have the option to shorten the loan terms, if desired.

Please Note: All individuals listed on the property’s deed will be required to sign if a lien is placed on the property, or a loan is taken out.

Loan Amount	Maximum Loan Term (months)	Example Monthly Payments Based on Loan Amount
<$5,000	48	$2,000 = $41.60/month $3,000 = $62.50/ month $4,500 = $93.75/ month
$5,000 - $9,999	72	$5,000 = $69.44/ month $7,500 = $104.17/ month $9,000 = $125/ month
$10,000 - $14,999	120	$10,000 = $83.33/ month $12,500 = $104.17/ month $14,000 = $116.67/ month
$15,000 - $25,000	180	$16,000 = $88.89/ month $20,000 = $111.11/ month $23,500 = $130.56/ month