FREE MONEY

By Los Angeles Housing Department

Free money! We thought that might get your attention. To accommodate low-income disabled renters, the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) is offering free exterior installations to rental buildings. Free really means free. LAHD will pay for both labor and materials, and state-licensed contractors provide all of the construction services.

The State of California is providing the funding for the Exterior Accessibility Grants for Renters (EAGR) Program. Services are limited to low-income tenants with qualifying disabilities and the rental properties must be located in the City of Los Angeles.

The Federal Section 8 Program definition of low-income is used for the program. In other words, the income of all occupants in the household must be equal to or less than the Section 8 income limits established by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The income limits are published on the HUD website at www.huduser.org for the Los Angeles/Long Beach Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (EMSA) and updated annually.

A qualifying disability under the program is defined as a physical impairment that limits one or more major life activities. The requested improvement(s) must be necessary to make the rental housing more accessible to existing or prospective tenants. For example, there must be a connection between the person's disability and the requested improvement, such as door widening or ramps for wheelchair access.

The rental property must be located within Los Angeles City limits. In addition, a low-income tenant with a qualifying disability must currently rent at least one unit. If the unit is vacant, the rental unit must be affordable to a low-income tenant and the owner must market the property to individuals with qualifying disabilities. The property owner must provide written permission to install the EAGR improvements, and the property owner and the tenant must approve in writing the scope and design of the proposed improvements.

Finally, the property owner must agree in writing to maintain the accessibility improvements in working order as long as the improvements are in place, and notify local independent living centers or other agencies serving persons with disabilities when a vacancy occurs in the accessible units.

We also realize that you are interested in the bottom line. The maximum grant per rental unit is $5,000, with a maximum grant amount of $15,000 per project. For example, a single‑unit rental property would only qualify for up to $5,000 in installations, but a 4‑unit property could qualify for up to $15,000.

Additional funds may be allocated for a project if there is compelling evidence from the applicant or contractor of the need for additional expenditures. In most circumstances, however, the city will not pay more than the above‑mentioned amounts in total compensation for work done at a single site unless more than three tenant households can benefit from the proposed accessibility improvements. There are no covenants or agreements recorded against the title of the property.

At this point, you are probably wondering what disability "installations" means. Installations may include, but are not limited to: widening the entrance door to the building or unit door; installing a concrete and/or wood and/or aluminum ramp; installing an intercom system; cement walkways; lowering mailboxes; installing Braille signage; installing handrails and grab bars in the common areas; and installing a flashing light to replace a doorbell.

Funding is limited. The state has only set aside $500,000 for the program. If you are interested in obtaining more information regarding this program, please contact the Los Angeles Housing Department at 213-808-8803.