Home Repairs
MINOR HOME REPAIRS
The City of East Palo Alto has allocated $125,000 in funding for Minor Home Repairs (MHR) to support 5 to 12 low-income senior (62+) homeowners for fiscal year 2026-2027 (starting July 1, 2026).
Eligible Households
Low Income Households: Eligible households for this funding are homeowners who are at least 62 years old, own their home in East Palo Alto, and have a household income at or below 80% AMI. 80% Area Median Income (AMI) is approximately $108,300 for a household of one and $154,700 for a household of four, according to 2025 San Mateo County income limits. Please note these income limits will adjust when the program begins, since new income limits will be released by April 2026.
BMR Households: Senior households that meet the MHR Program low-income requirements and own a home under the East Palo Alto Below Market Rate Housing Program (BMR) may be eligible for MHR Program repairs only if the repairs meet program guidelines, the written request by the homeowner is approved by the City Manager (or designee), and the requested scope of work is in compliance with all agreements and restrictions, including without limitation, their Resale Restriction Agreement and Option to Purchase. If repairs cause or have a tendency to cause an increase in the resale price of the home, the homeowner must sign an updated Resale Restriction Agreement and Option to Purchase with updated terms as required by City. The County will notify the City of any low-income senior homeowner(s) of a BMR unit in East Palo Alto that apply for the MHR Program, and provide their contact information, scope of work and cost to the City for the City to confirm compliance (or not) with City agreements, restrictions and requirements. The City will be solely responsible for determining whether a BMR homeowner is authorized to proceed and notifying the County of such determination with sufficient time that the proposed scope of work can reasonably be completed within the contract period. Contact housing@cityofepa.org for more information.
Funding Amount Per Household
No more than $16,000 may be invested in the repairs of a single home.
Eligible Repair Types
All improvements mentioned in the County Minor Home Repair Guidelines listed in Appendix A are eligible, with the following Projects prioritized:
a) Improvements to address code violations;
b) Improvements to address habitability, health and safety, including but not limited to ADA accessibility (e.g. ramps, shower bars, etc.);
c) Electrical system repairs/replacement;
d) Roof repair/replacement;
e) Plumbing repairs/replacement;
f) Window repair/replacement;
g) Water heater repair/replacement;
h) Room additions (in situations of overcrowding);
i) Lead-based paint remediation (lead testing required);
j) Flood mitigation for floodplain households (e.g. ductwork
repairs/replacement, asphalt repair/replacement, elevating structures);
k) Hazardous landscaping repair, including hazardous trees/vegetation
(excluding rain gardens); and
l) Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC).
Eligible Expenses
The following Project expenses are eligible to be reimbursed with MHR Program funds:
a) Construction costs and construction materials costs incurred by the MHR Program operator or through construction contracts with a third-party general contractor(s) or subcontractor(s) that are reasonable and necessary for the construction of eligible repairs at the home or rental unit; and
b) All governmental fees (including fees for testing and permits) paid for development, design, or construction of eligible repairs; and
c) Reasonable administrative costs (not to exceed 15% of the MHR Program operator’s modified total direct costs) to cover the MHR Program operator’s overhead expenses; and
d) Reasonable community outreach costs to ensure sufficient awareness and utilization of the MHR Program; and
e) Reasonable transportation costs for MHR Program operator staff to travel to and inspect project locations; and
f) Other reasonable repair-related costs as approved by the County in its reasonable discretion
Learn more about the Minor Home Repairs Program in the February 3, 2025 City Council staff report (Item 3.3).
MAJOR HOME REPAIRS
The City of East Palo Alto is working to issue a Major Home Repairs Request for Proposals in early 2026. Visit www.cityofepa.org/rfps for updates.
CITY ACTIONS SUPPORTING HOME REPAIRS IN EAST PALO ALTO
City actions that support home repairs programs include:
1. 2024-2028 Affordable Housing Strategy (adopted February 6, 2024)
2. 2023-2031 Housing Element (adopted March 19, 2024)
3. City Council Strategic Priorities for Fiscal Years 2025-2029 (adopted June 3, 2025)
QUESTIONS & INQUIRIES
You can submit your questions and inquiries through the below channels:
- Email to: housing@cityofepa.org. Please send emails with the subject line "East Palo Alto Minor Home Repairs". Please note that the contact information will be updated once the MHR program begins in July 1, 2026.
