A donation from Happy State Bank will help Allen homeowners in need of minor property repairs.
The company recently donated $10,000 to launch a local Property Improvement Program (PIP), administered by Allen's Community Development department. The department currently oversees the federally-funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which addresses urgent repairs and fund projects in target neighborhoods.
"[CDBG funding] allows us to do some large-scale projects and also some emergency repairs," explained Erin Jones, senior planner for the City of Allen, at the April 10 city council meeting. "But if someone needed a basic fence repair or house painting, we didn’t have a funding source to do that."
Jones says the initial donation from Happy State Bank was a catalyst to other funding sources.
"We are very appreciative of this partnership," said Jones.
The Property Improvement Program is administered as a matching grant, providing homeowners with up to $5,000 for repairs. It's offered citywide for homes built at least 25 years ago. Applicants must reside in the home and meet income guidelines to qualify.
Learn more about Allen's home repair assistance programs.