Business
Registration Open for Chicago’s Home Repair Program. Here’s What You Need to Know
A file photo of a Chicago residential street. (stevegeer / iStock)
Starting Monday, eligible homeowners can register for a chance to apply for a city program designed to provide roof and porch repairs at no cost to homeowners.
The program is open to residents who own and occupy a single family or duplex residential property as their primary and only residence. Households earning up to 50% of the area median income are eligible to participate in the program. View income qualifications here.
Registration begins Monday, March 10, at 9 a.m. and runs through Friday, March 21, at 5 p.m.
Residents can register online or by calling 311.
In addition to roof and porch repairs, the city will also provide small repairs, such as grab bars and lever faucets, for homeowners who need accessibility improvements.
This year, about $12.7 million in funding has been allocated for the Home Repair Program, according to Michael Cox, a spokesperson with the city’s department of housing, which administers the program.
Interested homeowners must register for a chance to apply for services. All interested homeowners will be contacted within a month of registration, according to the department.
As part of the program, the city provides repairs, and homeowners are not required to pay back any repair costs. The program was formerly called the Roof and Porch Repair Program.
Homeowners are prioritized to receive an invitation to apply for the Home Repair Program based on length of tenancy, according to the housing department.
After registration, homeowners who are then invited to apply for the program are still required to submit an application and documents — such as deed, income documentation and homeowner’s insurance — to ensure eligibility, according to the housing department.
In 2024, nearly $9.3 million was granted to homeowners through home repairs, according to Cox. A total of 342 jobs were approved last year; 264 of them have been completed so far, with the remainder still in queue due to weather.
The housing department declined to share the total number of people who applied last year.
“The total application number isn’t the best measure of the percent who received service - numerous people start the process but then drop out for various reasons (i.e income limit, are not the owner on record, stop responding, etc.),” Cox said in an email.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
