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The Homeowners’ Emergency Loan Program (HELP) is available to
income-eligible owner-occupants anywhere in the City of Milwaukee.
HELP is available for emergencies that, if not corrected, would make
the home uninhabitable.
HELP is not intended for maintenance, code violations, or other work
that is not a true emergency.
HELP is administered by the Neighborhood Improvement Development
Corporation (NIDC.) NIDC is affiliated with the City of Milwaukee’s
Department of City Development.
Eligible and Ineligible
Work
HELP is a loan program for emergency repairs. Loan funds must be used
to correct conditions that are making the home uninhabitable. HELP is
not a code-compliance program, but the proposed repairs must make the
property substantially decent and safe.
Eligible Work:
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Repair or replace roofing
/ flashing if there is an active leak affecting habitable rooms
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Repair or replace a
non-functioning furnace / boiler (“no heat”) |
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Replace a non-functioning
water heater |
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Repair leaking water
piping if there are active leaks into habitable rooms, or if sewer gas is
entering the home |
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Repair collapsed sewer
laterals between house and street tap |
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Repair leaking water
laterals between house and stop box |
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Repair serious electrical
hazards |
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Repair hazardous
structural conditions
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Correct a condition that
is a serious threat to health and safety |
Ineligible
Work:
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Most porch or garage
repairs, including roofing |
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Leaking basements / water
seepage |
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Gutters & downspouts |
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Soffit, fascia
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Siding |
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Storm doors, storm windows |
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Door or window replacement |
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Weatherization work |
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Defective interior or
exterior paint
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Electrical improvements &
service upgrades |
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Code violations (unless
listed under eligible work) |
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Maintenance |
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Remodeling or home
improvements |
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Any work that is not an
immediate & significant threat to health and safety |
Finding a Good
Contractor
You may use any contractor as long as the company is licensed and
qualified to do the work. NIDC encourages that you use City of
Milwaukee-based contractors and/or contractors who are certified
Emerging Business Enterprises (EBE’s.) A list of licensed Home
Improvement contractors may be found at
www.city.milwaukee.gov/license.
EBE contractors are listed at:
www.city.milwaukee.gov/EmergingBusinessEnte1389.htm.
You may also talk to friends and relatives about a good contractor, or
look in the newspaper or telephone directory to find a firm.
Regardless of how you find a company, it is always a good idea to get
more than one quote, and to get references from the contractors.
Applications
Applications may be downloaded
here.
Completed applications should be mailed or delivered to the NIDC
offices. You may also pick up an application at NIDC. The office is
located at 809 North Broadway Room 104.
To expedite your loan, it is recommended that you include a bid or
quote from a licensed contractor with a completed and signed
application. There is a $25 non-refundable application fee.
Your loan must be approved and settled before any work starts. A
manager-signed “Early Start” form is required if work will start
before your loan is settled.
In Order to
Qualify
You must own and occupy the home, and the work must be an eligible
item listed above. HELP is designed to assist owner-occupied 1-4 unit
residential buildings, although mixed-use buildings may be eligible.
You must be current with your mortgage and with City of Milwaukee
property tax payments.
There is no minimum credit score, but generally you must be
credit-worthy, have a history of making payments on time, and be able
to afford a monthly payment of at least $50.
Loan Terms
HELP is a loan program:
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The minimum loan is $1000;
the maximum is $7,500 (Over $7,500 on an exception basis) |
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Minimum monthly payment:
$50 |
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Maximum loan term: 5 years |
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Interest rates: 3% for
households up to 50% Area Median Income (AMI); 6% for households between 50%
and 80% AMI. See charts below. |
80% of Area Median Income.
As of May 2010:
|
Number in Household |
Income
Limit |
Number in Household |
Income
Limit |
| 1 |
$39,850 |
5 |
$61,500 |
| 2 |
$45,550 |
6 |
$66,050 |
| 3 |
$51,250 |
7 |
$70,600 |
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4 |
$56,900 |
8 |
$75,150 |
50% of Area Median Income. As of
May 2010:
|
Number in Household |
Income
Limit |
Number in Household |
Income
Limit |
| 1 |
$24,900 |
5 |
$38,400 |
| 2 |
$28,450 |
6 |
$41,250 |
| 3 |
$32,000 |
7 |
$44,100 |
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4 |
$35,550 |
8 |
$46,950 |
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