The Berrien County Board of Commissioners accepted more than $700,000 from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority for the county’s Community Development Block Grant Homeowner Impact Program, paying for home repairs for low-to-moderate income residents.

At a meeting on Friday, the board authorized Treasurer Shelly Weich to execute the CDBG grant agreement. She tells us the Berrien County Land Bank has run the CDBG home repair program for several decades. So, what does it help residents with?

“Energy efficiency repairs, roofs, possibly windows — depends on if there’s lead in the windows, then we can somewhat help with that – insulation, just any necessary improvements to the home,” Weich said.

Weich says homeowners in need of help with such repairs should contact the land bank to apply.

“We can help give roughly $20,000 to $35,000 to each of these projects. So that’s substantial for some of these low to moderate income households. It’s a lottery-based drawing is how they are selected. So once the applications come in, we do it on a lottery basis. It’s not first come, first serve. And it’s a forgivable loan is what it is. The only way the homeowner would have to repay the money would be if the home sells for profit.”

The funding for the CDBG is program awarded to the county about every other year, and Weich notes Benton Harbor and Niles residents don’t qualify for the county assistance because those two cities have their own CDBG home repair programs. She says the county is glad to be able to help residents with home repairs that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford.

“I think it’s a very good program for those that are in need and unfortunately can’t afford to replace — a new roof or such…$20,000 to $35,000, we hope will make some sort of an improvement to their home to keep them in their home.”

You can learn more about the Berrien County Land Bank right here.