San José Department of Housing - Programs - Home Repairs

Program Purpose
The program offers technical and financial assistance for the correction of immediate or critical threats to life and/or property of the City’s mobilehome residents.

Eligible Applicants
Owner-occupants of mobilehomes whose gross annual income does not exceed the Santa Clara County lower-income level, adjusted for family size. Please refer to the Eligibility Criteria for eligible income levels.

Eligible Properties
Mobilehomes located within the City of San José used as the primary residence of the occupant(s).

Grant Limits
The maximum grant amount available is $12,000. However, the final grant amount will depend on the actual cost of repairs or replacement as determined by Housing department staff.

Terms

Grants are for the cost of repairs or improvements, not to exceed $12,000.
The mobilehome must have been owned by the applicant for a minimum of one year prior to application.
The grant must be repaid to City if the mobilehome is sold or refinanced within three years from grant approval date.
Grants are available only once per household.
Applicant cannot own other real estate.
Approval of grant is subject to underwriting criteria and asset limitations in effect at the time of application.
Applicant may be required to sign a Grant Agreement with the City of San José.
All health and safety issues, as determined by the Housing inspector, must be corrected first.

Security for the City's Loan
For loans, the borrower will be required to execute a promissory note. The City will file a lien on the title to the mobilehome registered to the California Department of Housing and Community Development.

Eligible Repairs
The repairs financed by the Mobilehome Repair Program must first be used to correct immediate health and safety hazards as determined by Housing staff. Examples of eligible repairs include:

Serious water or sewer line leak
Hazardous electrical system
Skirting repair/replacement
No heat or hot water to home
Roof replacement
Repairs to carports, decks, and steps
Other emergency situations as authorized by Housing staff

Ineligible Improvements
Certain improvements are not basic requirements for a safe and healthy living environment. Such improvements are not eligible for City loans or grants. Examples of such improvements include: spas or hot tubs, outdoor cooking facilities, storage sheds, free-standing appliances, furniture, draperies, or other improvements not attached to the mobilehome.

Application Process
A Housing Rehabilitation Inspector will enter your home and inspect your property to evaluate the immediate health or safety emergency. If the Inspector determines that the $12,000 grant is adequate to resolve the requested critical health and safety issues, and that your mobilehome has no other serious health and safety related issues, the Inspector will provide you with a grant application. For repairs requiring immediate correction, the inspector may order the repairs by a pre-approved contractor from the City’s list of contractors.

If the required repairs exceed the $12,000 grant amount and you choose to have the repairs completed, you will be required to apply for a zero-percent interest, deferred loan to cover the costs of the repairs that exceed this amount. As a condition of the City’s grant, all critical health and safety related needs must be addressed.

For further information and application forms, contact the Rehabilitation Division at:
City of San José
Department of Housing - Rehabilitation Programs
200 East Santa Clara Street
San José, CA 95113

Phone: 408.975.4440
Fax: 408.988.3183
Gloria.Urban@sanjoseca.gov