Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant Program

In the fourth quarter of 2024, The City of Martinsville, Indiana was awarded $350,000 in grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to assist homeowners with certain home repairs through the Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant program. The Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant program empowers Indiana communities to establish local home repair programs. With these awarded funds, the City of Martinsville will create programs that directly fund repairs on owner-occupied residential properties at no cost to homeowners who meet certain guidelines. Special consideration will be given to elderly (65+), disabled, veteran, or single-parent head of household applicants.

The City of Martinsville was one of eight Indiana communities selected to receive Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Grant funding. Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation grants will be used to empower these communities to directly fund homeowners of low-to-moderate income to make needed repairs on their homes. “Each of these grant programs will contribute to improving the lives of Hoosiers across our state,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. 

Eligible repairs include roof repair or replacement, ADA accessibility, heating and cooling replacement, lighting and electrical upgrades, and water heater replacement.

“Congratulations to the communities receiving these important grants, these funds are vital to improving the quality of life throughout the Hoosier state,” said OCRA Executive Director Duke Bennett. “I look forward to seeing how these improvements will benefit our rural cities and towns and encourage others to apply when the next round opens.”

Funding for OCRA’s CDBG programs originates from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program and is administered for the State of Indiana by OCRA. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/cdbg/.

Applications for the program are closed. Residents who are selected for the program will be contacted in February to submit income verification documents and schedule an initial home inspection.

Do you qualify?

• Must live within the city limits of Martinsville, Indiana
• Must be single-family, owner-occupied home
• Home must be insured
• Home must be on a permanent foundation
• You must own your home or have a current mortgage. No contract sales or rentals are eligible.
• Must not be in the flood plain
• Must meet the income guidelines below.

Income Guidelines

Q: What types of home repairs are considered eligible activities?

A: Roof Repairs or Replacements, HVAC Repairs or Replacements, ADA modifications leading to the threshold of the home, select electrical upgrades and lighting features, and water heater replacement. Windows and paint jobs are NOT currently in scope for this program.

Q: Who is eligible for the Martinsville Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Program?

A: Only homeowners within the city limits of Martinsville may apply for this program. Your total household income must fall below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) as listed above. Special consideration will be given to elderly (65+), disabled, veteran, or single-parent head of household applicants.

Q: What is the application timeline for the Martinsville OOR Program?

A: Applications for the program are closed as of November 5, 2024. 

Q: If included in the program, do I need to find a contractor, or do I get to choose the contractor?

A: No, the city will work with it's grant administrator, Administrative Resources association (ARa), to find contractors to complete all the work for each eligible activity and will manage the work in a way that meets the homeowner’s schedule. You will not be responsible for searching for or managing any work performed by contractors. A final inspection will take place to ensure the quality of the work, and all work will be warrantied for one year after the final inspection date.

Q: Who must go through income verification for this program?

A: If Martinsville is awarded funding, personnel from Administrative Resources association (ARa) will contact all applicants who have been selected for the program for income verification documents in January. At that time, they will work through the income verification process with homeowners who wish to move forward with their application.

Q: Do I have to pay anything for this? How much can I get?

A: Homeowners do not have to pay anything for this program. The maximum amount a homeowner can receive for repairs on their home is $25,000.

Q: Is there a lien requirement?

A: Yes. There will be a lien and restrictive covenant requirement for homeowners who choose to participate in this program. Below is a matrix that explains an applicant’s affordability period:

Q: Who do I contact if I have questions?

A: Please contact Carrie Riley by email at [email protected] or by phone at 812-376-9949 if you have any questions.

Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch, who serves as Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit ocra.in.gov.