08/28/2001 RA RPT 03 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF RIVERSIDE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEMORANDUM Honorable Mayor & Agency Members Date: August 28, 2001 Item No,: 3 Subject: Request for lm lementation of a Home Improvement Rebate Program - Eastside - Funds Trans~Per Background On March 7, 2000 the Redevelopment Agency approved a Home Improvement Rebate Program (H1RP) in the Arlington Riverside Neighborhood Revitalization (RNR) Area. This program provides homeowners a rebate equal to 80% of their expenses up to $2,000 for home improvements to the exterior of their home. In the last year five homes have been improved through the Arlington program, and three are in the application process. Staff is ve~' pleased with the results of participating houses, and is confident that renewed marketing efforts will increase the breadth of the existing HIRP in Arlington. Current lssue The original HIRP was always intended to be a pilot project which would eventually be transplanted to the Eastside RNR neighborhood. Though the Eastside RNR program is no longer active, there is still a great need in the Eastside for a home beautification program. Along with the Downtown, Eastside has some of the oldest housing in the City, with most of the houses in the target area dating to the 1940's and 1950's. The area also has a substantial number of houses dating before 1920. With this in mind, staff proposes to create the Eastside Home hnprovement Rebate Program (See Program Guidelines and Application, Attachment A) to help improve the aesthetics on the Eastside and encourage homeowners to reinvest in their homes and in their community. The program would use the same operation guidelines as the Arlington HIRP Program, namely: · Applicants must own and reside in a home located within the Eastside Home Improvement Rebate Program Target Area (see Target Area Map, Attachment B), and must earn 120% or less of the Riverside County Median Income, adjusted for famiiy size. (A family of four would currently be capped at $591850; a couple would be capped at $47,925~ a single person would be capped at $41,925). · Approved applicants will receive a rebate of 80% of their expenses up to a $2,000 maximum award for improvements to the exterior of their home which are visible from the street (excluding roofs). To be eligible for a rebate~ improvements must be approved by staff' before the work commences, and must be performed by a licensed California contractor with a current City of Riverside Business License. · All building permits, fees, and approvals shall be the responsibility of the applicant. · Under the HIRP any exterior code violations must be remedied prior to other beautification activities. · Applicants must submit proofofhomeownership and evidence of fire insurance before initial approval, and they must sign a Covenants, Conditions. and Restrictions Agreement before the rebate is awarded (see C.C&R~s AgreemenL Attachment C ). · Applications will be considered and approved on a first come, first served basis. Applicants may reapply to the program after three years. Analysis The existing HIRP has received widespread interest and approval in the Arlington community, and the department anticipates receiving as many as 20 applications this fiscal year. Furthermore, the City's investment orS10,000