Safe & Healthy Home Improvement Program

Through our core program, the Safe and Healthy Home Improvement Program (SHHIP), we address critical health and safety hazards present in the homes of low-income older adults, Veterans, and those living with disabilities. We work in partnership with local construction professionals, volunteers, businesses, local government agencies and other community partners.  Our focus is on improvements that will make homes safer and healthier for all residents.

Rebuilding Together is currently working in the Greater Bordeaux community and the Dickerson Pike Corridor community.

RTN’s Targeted Community initiatives are a multi-year, place-based initiatives to preserve affordable homeownership, prevent resident displacement, and revitalize community spaces . These initiatives concentrate our home repair and community revitalization work in a single, high-need community in the path of gentrification. We are currently able to serve homes that are within our targeted community boundaries.

RT Safe & Health Home Improvement Program (SHHIP) Eligibility Requirements 

The applicant must meet ALL the following qualifications at the time of application to RT and while RT is completing repair work at the home:

  1. The home must be within the Dickerson Pike or Greater Bordeaux targeted community boundaries.

  2. The homeowner must be willing to comply with program requirements including signing a five-year lien for the

    value of repairs completed at the home.

  3. The applicant must own the home.  If the applicant co-owns the home with another person, they must disclose that information in their application.

  4. The applicant must live in the home.

  5. The applicant must be current on mortgage, home equity loan payments or other debts that are secured by the property and provide proof through documentation or a title search of any resolved debts (if applicable).

  6. The applicant must be current on property taxes for the home. 

  7. The applicant must have a current homeowners insurance policy for the property. 

  8. The home must be a free-standing, single-family home; we are not able to serve rental properties, condos, or mobile homes.  

  9. The applicant or a permanent household resident must meet at least one of the following qualifications:

    • Be 60 years of age or older

    • Be a veteran of the United States Armed Forces (as evidenced by a DD Form 214)

    • Receive Federal disability benefits

  10. The applicant’s household must meet RT’s income guidelines.  Please note that ALL household members, including roommates and extended family members, must provide accurate income information for RT to process an application.  Applicant households with an annual income of up to 80% of HUD’s area median income are eligible for RT’s SHHIP Program.  Applicant households with an annual income of up to 50% of HUD’s area median income will be prioritized for RT’s SHHIP Program.  HUD’s area median income guidelines are calculated annually.  Most recent guidelines are included below.

HUD posts current guidelines at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html.