Home Repair Loans and Grants

Eligible Repairs

The Home Repair Loan Program is designed to address immediate health, safety and structural deficiencies. Other improvements will be considered on a case by case basis. The following is a partial list of priority issues. Final determination of improvements will be made by OH staff.

• Accessibility needs and modifications
• Appliances, if existing ones are nonfunctional, inefficient or in very poor condition (no washers or dryers) 
• Bathroom repair
• Brick or masonry repair
• Chimney repair
• Door and window repair or replacement (if in poor condition)
• Driveway or walkway repair
• Electrical upgrades
• Floor repair and covering
• Foundation repair or replacement
• Furnace/boiler repair or replacement
• Gutter repair or replacement
• Hazardous materials abatement
• Hot water heater repair or replacement
  • Hot water tanks might be replaced if determined they are failing, must be leaking, or rusted.  We do not replace because of their age
• Kitchen repair
• Paint (exterior)
• Plumbing repair
• Porch repair or replacement
• Retaining wall repair (for code violations, or if hazardous)
• Roof repair or replacement
• Sewer repair
• Siding (if in poor condition)
• Structural repair
• Water line repair or replacement

Home Repair Loan Application Process

How the Home Repair Loan Program Works

This guide helps you understand how to apply for a home repair loan through the City of Seattle’s Home Repair Loan Program. Follow these easy steps to make sure your application process goes smoothly.

Caution! Do not hire a contractor before reading through the steps and getting approval from the Office of Housing. We do not provide reimbursements for contractors who are hired outside of our official process.

The Office of Housing does a hard credit pull as part of the Home Repair Loan application. Your credit score may be impacted by this credit inquiry.  

1. Loan Application and Home Inspection: 

• Send in Your Application: After you apply, a finance specialist from the Office of Housing will review your application.
• Find Contractors: After approval, you may begin looking for price estimates. The Office of Housing has a list of contractors that we have worked with before. We will supply you with our list when the Property Rehab Specialist visits your home.  
• Credit and Title Reports: The finance specialist will check your credit and title. They are checking to make sure you have reasonable financial history, credit, and no delinquent property taxes.  
• Missing Documents: If any documents are missing from your application, the finance specialist will tell you. Please make sure you send all the documents they ask you for.
• Loan Pre-Approval: After your loan is pre-approved, you will get a letter detailing the terms of your loan. Please remember loan terms are subject to change. You will receive a closing loan disclosure prior to signing your final loan documents.  
• Property Rehabilitation Specialist: After pre-approval, a Property Rehabilitation Specialist from the Office of Housing will contact you. They will help check what repairs are within our guidelines that we can assist you with.   

2. Choosing a Contractor: 

• Do Not Sign Contracts until directed by the Property Rehab Specialist: Wait for the Property Rehabilitation Specialist to tell you that you can sign a contract Do not pay any deposits to contractors.  
• Pick a Contractor: You have 30 days to send bids to the Property Rehab Specialist. A bid is a written price or offer from a contractor that tells you how much they will charge you to do the repair work on your home. If we do not hear from you after 45 days your application will be closed and you will have to reapply.  
• Approved Form and Agreement: Use forms provided by the Property Rehab Specialist for contracts. Contractors must agree to follow the City’s laws and policies.

3. Closing Your Loan: 

• Loan Documents: After you pick a contractor and the loan amount is set, the finance specialist will send loan documents for you to sign.  
• Wait for Approval: Do not start any work or sign contracts until the Property Rehabilitation Specialist says it’s okay.
• Legal Help: If you need legal help, you can talk to your own attorney.
• Signing the Loan: After signing the loan documents, they will be recorded with King County. After recording, your loan will be considered closed and ready to use. You will receive a document called a “Notice to Proceed” to sign and start the repair work.

4. The Repair Work: 

• Starting Work: The contractor can start the work three days after the loan documents are recorded with the county.  
• Completion Time: All work must be finished within six months of the loan closing. Talk to your Property Rehabilitation Specialist if you have issues.
• Contractor Work Quality: The Office of Housing is not responsible for the quality of work the contractor provides.