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Arcadia Weekly Jan 18, 2023
Arcadia City Councilwoman Sharon Kwan explains her "yes" vote on grants to help residents pay for home improvements. | Photo courtesy of the city of Arcadia
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The Arcadia City Council on Tuesday approved grant funding to enable homeowners to pay for home improvement projects for condominiums and single-family homes.
In the current fiscal year the city will offer between 10 and 15 homeowners grants up to $20,000 for houses and $15,000 for condos, according to a city staff report.
The Home Improvement Program, which is funded by the federal government through Los Angeles County Community Development Block Grants, requires participating homeowners to have annual incomes below 80% of the city’s median — between $66,750 for a household of one and $125,800 for a household with nine people. Income eligibility is calculated as combined annual earned income plus up to 10% of all financial assets.
Grant applicants must also have owned and resided in their home for at least five years and must not own any other real estate property in addition to their residence, according to the staff report.
Newly elected Councilwoman Sharon Kwan noted a significant number of Arcadia residents she spoke with while on the campaign trail said they were unable to afford to fix “dilapidated” portions of their homes.
“A lot of residents actually inherit the home from their parents,” Kwan said. “A lot of them tell us that they’re able to keep the house but they’re not able to make any improvements. So I think this will benefit a lot of people, and I think that funds like this are going to good use. … This is something good for the community.”
Since 1974, the Home Improvement Program has been the largest of Arcadia’s CDBG programs, according to the staff report. HIP has assisted more than 500 low- and moderate-income home-owning residents.
In the next fiscal year — July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024 — the city projects $289,990 in HIP funding that will provide grants to 12-15 homeowners.
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