Neighborhood Preservation

Home Improvement Program

City of Linden residents can apply for a no interest loan of up to $24,999 for home rehabilitation. The loans are perpetual liens that are repaid upon the sale of the home. Participants must own and live in their 1 or 2 – family dwellings. Eligible improvements include new roofs, electrical, plumbing and heating systems.

Homeowners can apply for this program by contacting Robin Lospinoso at Development Directions LLC, 2 City Hall Plaza, Rahway, NJ 07065 (telephone 732.382.8100). Interested homeowners can call the office for an appointment. A follow up letter is sent to the homeowner; along with the letter confirming the appointment. There is a list enclosed with all of the documentation needed by the program to determine eligibility.

The current eligibility incomes are as follows:

Household Composition (Persons)

Once determined eligible, an inspection is scheduled by the city’s cost estimator to inspect the home and determine the necessary improvements, which must include any health and safety issues. The homeowner is then supplied with a scope of work. Homeowners are then instructed to obtain two comparable estimates for the work. Once the homeowner receives the estimates, the homeowner prepares the contractor selection form and forwards their selection with the two estimates to the consultant.

Once the homeowner selects the contractor, the consultant prepares a detailed work write up and a Contractor Homeowner Contract. An appointment is then set with the homeowner, the contractor and the program to review and sign all of the documents, including the mortgage for the amount in the work write up.