Senior and Disabled Home Rehab Loans

Seniors and people with disabilities can apply for interest-free loans of up to $100,000 to repair or modify their home. You do not have to repay the loan until one of the below events:

• You sell or transfer the property
• You cease to occupy the property
• The loan reaches its maturity date

How to apply

The Senior and Disabled Home Rehabilitation Loan Program is currently enrolling participants from the program waitlist. If you would like to be added to the program’s waitlist please send your name, contact information, full address, and a brief description of health and safety repairs and ADA accessibility improvements by email or phone:

• Email: SDRLP@cityofberkeley.info
• Phone: (510) 981-5412

In addition, the City of Berkeley provides funding to other home rehabilitation programs to provide no-cost ADA accessibility improvements & health and safety repairs to eligible homeowners.

Please contact the nonprofits below directly to determine if you are eligible to receive services:

• Center of Independent Living
  3075 Adeline St. Suite 100,
  Berkeley, CA. 94710
  510.841.4776

• Rebuilding Together
  732 Gilman Street
  Berkeley, CA 94703
  510.644.8979

• Habitat for Humanity
  East Bay/Silicon Valley
  2919 Broadway
  866.450.4432

Eligibility

To qualify, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• Must be 62 years of age and older, or permanently disabled.
• Must be the owner and resident of property to be rehabilitated/improved.
• Have a gross annual household income that meets program guidelines. Income levels are updated annually. 

The building to be rehabilitated has to be located within the City of Berkeley boundaries. The property can contain no more than two units. Only the unit occupied by the senior or disabled homeowner is eligible to receive assistance.

Repairs covered by the loan

You can use the loan to pay for any repairs necessary to make your home healthier and safer and bring it into code compliance. Typical repairs include:

• Carpentry: Ramp construction, porch repair, steps, handrails, entry doors and locks
• Electrical upgrade for safety
• Plumbing: Toilets and faucets, drain lines, sewer
• Re-roofing
• Earthquake/Fire protection work: Bolt foundation, brace crawl space walls, anchor water heater, remove brick chimney, install approved release window bars and smoke detectors
• Foundations: Repair or replacement
• Walls: Stucco siding repair, interior wall patching and painting
• Miscellaneous: Heating system repair/replacement, broken window repair/replacement, yardwork, (including tree pruning), hauling debris