The City of Green Park has plans to increase the amount of money that can be distributed as part of its Neighborhood Enhancement Program and First-Time Homeowner Payment Assistance Program. Currently, both programs can give out amounts of $5,000 to applicants; that number may soon increase to $7,500.
“When these programs began, the board approved $5,000 ceilings,” City Clerk Theresa Pfyl said. “Our program, in my opinion, is (modeled after) community development grants of St. Louis County, and they’ve raised their ceiling up to $7,500 because the cost of everything is so expensive. I’d like to match our programs to them, since we already use their guidelines for income levels.”
Green Park currently has a budget of $30,000 to devote to funding these programs, but that number would rise in the future if the singular grants were to increase to $7,500.
“I think it’s a good investment,” Ward 2 Alderman Ali Thornsberry said.
The Neighborhood Enhancement Program is “designed to help keep homeowners in their homes” by providing funds for homeowners to do renovations to address code violations and “enhance property values,” according to the city.
Homeowners applying for the Neighborhood Enhancement Program present a list of work to be done on the property, with an emphasis on health and safety repairs, though exterior aesthetic improvements are allowed. The homeowner then works with the City of Green Park to decide which projects will be funded and pick an approved contractor.
“Once the contractor is selected, the homeowner then arranges to have the work done. The City will verify that the work was done and pay the contractor,” the city stated. “(The) City will then place a lien on the property to guarantee the homeowner remains for five years. After five years, the lien is released.”
The First-Time Homeowners Payment Assistance Program, meanwhile, provides a dollar for dollar down-payment match up to $5,000 for qualified applicants. Applicants must be first-time home buyers that are purchasing a single-family home and occupy the home for five years.
Pfyl says that, in the past couple of years, the city used the First-Time Homeowners Payment Assistance Program to give money to three property owners.
To make this change, the Board of Aldermen will need to vote to amend the city code at its next meeting.
The board also discussed ways to increase visibility for these programs, such as working with real estate agents to advertise the grants.
