Home Improvement Program
The Home Improvement Program (HIP) is a federally funded program, which provides technical advice and financial assistance to qualified homeowners for a variety of home repairs. The program is administered by St. Louis County's Department of Planning, Office of Community Development.
The applicant must be the owner and occupant of the property to be improved. Gross household income from all occupants must meet established low-moderate income guidelines. Homeowners must be current in their mortgage payments and real estate taxes must be paid in full. Applicants are served on a first-come first-served basis until all funds are committed. Applications are taken over the telephone in an interview process.
Approved repairs or replacements necessary to maintain minimum housing code standards are eligible. Homeowners are required to solicit bids and select their own general contractor. The check will be submitted directly to the contractor following final inspection. A participant can receive 100% of the cost of correcting authorized repairs, based on a maximum benefit limit of $5,000. Program participation is limited to once in a lifetime per homeowner, regardless of the fact they married or moved to a different address after five years.
Homeowners are required to sign a 5-year Forgivable Loan Agreement that provides for an annual reduction of twenty percent of the amount of the grant, as long as they continue to own and occupy their house. This 5-year Forgivable Loan Agreement will be on record with the St. Louis County Recorder of Deeds office as a lien against the property.
Interested residents should contact the HIP satellite offices to make an application:
Clayton Office
121 S. Meramec, Ste. 444
St. Louis, MO 63105
(314) 615-8232
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South County Office
4546 Lemay Ferry Road
St. Louis, MO 63129
(314) 615-4025
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The City of University City also has a
Home Improvement Program that provides loans to income eligible homeowners. Funds can be used to make critical home repairs to bring a property up to the City's property maintenance and/or building code.
Interested residents should contact Manager of Long Range Planning at (314) 505-8516.