The city of Coachella is working in partnership with the Housing and Workforce Solutions of Riverside County to fund a grant program for improvements to home exteriors.
In a Facebook post on Nov. 15, Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez announced the initiation of a home rehab program. "Attention City of Coachella residents, we are initiating a home rehab program especially for our older homes in the City," said Mayor Hernandez. The information on the program was distributed through a flyer, available in both Spanish and English.
The Home Exterior Program (HEP) offers grants up to $50,000 that can be used by residents for repair or improvement projects related to the exterior of their homes. According to the distributed flyer, eligible projects include minor roofing, window repairs, painting, and eliminating health and safety concerns existing on the exterior of homes. The grant has an income-based eligibility criteria that restricts its availability only to lower income residents.
To qualify for this grant, household income should not exceed 80% of Riverside County’s median income as reported by Public CEO. It is also required that homes must be privately owned and currently occupied. Applicants are required to pay a nonrefundable $35 application fee.
This program is brought about through collaboration between the city of Coachella and the Housing and Workforce Solutions of Riverside County (HWS). HWS was established by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in 2020 with an aim to address housing and economic challenges experienced in the Coachella Valley area directly.