Home > HomeWise: Repairing & Weatherizing a Home

About HomeWise
Home Improvement Services:
Repairing and Weatherizing

If you own a home, you know how costly upgrades can be. With HomeWise, low to moderate income Seattle homeowners have the opportunity to obtain home improvement services that won't break the bank!

HomeWise Weatherization grants will weatherize your home FREE. Using state of the art equipment, a HomeWise Property Rehabilitation Specialist will conduct an energy analysis of your home and recommend a conservation package to fit your needs. An energy conservation package, which includes insulation, venting, weatherstripping, and more, will be installed during your construction project. HomeWise Weatherization grants are available to eligible Seattle homeowners with any heat source.

To qualify, you must meet certain income guidelines. An Outreach Representative will determine whether you are eligible to receive a HomeWise Weatherization grant. If you are not eligible to receive a grant, you may want to consider installing conservation measures as part of your rehabilitation loan project. In just a few years' time, the package will pay for itself in lower energy costs, and help preserve our environment as well!

HomeWise 3% interest home repair loans are funded by a variety of local and federal programs which prioritize health and safety repairs. Homeowners are given as much flexibility as possible, but work items which threaten the health of the occupants or the integrity of the structure must be corrected before other work is started. HomeWise staff will assist you in understanding these priorities and making your project work for you.

Weatherization Grant
The Weatherization Grant can insulate single family homes with low income households as well as apartment buildings that qualify.

Weatherization work may include:

• Insulation of the attic, walls and crawlspace
• Venting of bathrooms, kitchens and roofs
• Pipe wrapping to avoid freezing
• Weatherstripping of exterior doors
• Window caulking
• High-efficiency lighting in common areas for apartment buildings
• Partial payment for other measures that add value by energy conservation benefit
  

These improvements can help you save energy, lower heating and cooling costs and save money on your utility bills. Call (206) 684-0244 or e-mail Theresa.Cortez at Theresa.Cortez@seattle.gov for a prescreening to see if you qualify.

Home Repair Loan
The Home Repair Loan provides low-interest loans to repair owner-occupied, single family homes with low to moderate income households.

Repair work may include:

• Accessibility modifications
• Bathroom and kitchen updates
• Code and health and safety repairs
• Electrical
• Plumbing
• Roof and gutters
• Sewer or water lines
  

The loan has an interest rate of 3%, a loan closing cost of approximately $150 which is made a part of the loan, and a term of up to 20 years.

For very low income homeowners, we can make a deferred payment loan (no monthly payments) with the principal gathering only simple interest. One of our loans can help you live in a safer, healthier home.

Call (206) 684-0244 or e-mail Theresa.Cortez at Theresa.Cortez@seattle.gov for a prescreening to see if you qualify.