The city is releasing new funds to support development and rehabilitation of quality rental housing, to improve downtown housing options and increase neighborhood vibrancy in our community.
The program is made possible through our Community Development Division, using Community Development Block Grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
A total of $300,000 will be available for the 2018-2019 program year (through June 30, 2019).
Criteria for prioritizing projects are:
- Rental projects will generally be limited to properties located in the downtown area, and other traditional business corridors for which rental housing is the highest and best use. A wide variety of building types will be eligible, but may include small mixed-use buildings, duplexes, coach house or other auxiliary structures, and others. The city will not generally fund the development or rehabilitation/construction of single-family homes as rental properties.
- The city will prioritize projects in which the owner is an occupant, such as the rental unit of an owner-occupied duplex or a mixed-use building with commercial space housing the owner’s business.
- The city will prioritize buildings which improve vacant or underutilized space, like the conversion of an unused second floor into an apartment.
Eligible applicants to the program are building owners of suitable structures, including prospective buyers with site control. Owners may be individuals, corporations or partnerships. Also eligible to apply are qualified Community-Based Development Organizations, which may propose new construction.
A minimum of 51 percent of the rental housing units developed or rehabilitated must initially be occupied by households with less than 80 percent of the area median income, based on family size, as determined by HUD ($46,950 for a family of four).
The city will accept pre-applications beginning on Monday, Nov. 26 in Room 117 at City Hall, 10 N. Division St. More comprehensive applications will be required for chosen projects. For more information and the application, please visit our website, http://battlecreekmi.gov/562/Rental-Rehab-Program, or contact city Community Development Specialist Mackenzie Scholte at 269-966-3364.