Registration Opens Monday, December 9 for Wilmington’s Latest Homeowner Repair Lottery for Seniors, Running through Friday, December 20
December 9, 2024
Seniors Have Two Weeks to Apply for Chance to Receive Vital Home Repairs through City’s $10,000 Grant Program
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and the Wilmington City Council have announced a new homeowner repair lottery exclusively for seniors aged 65 and older. This lottery, offering grants of up to $10,000 for critical home repairs within Wilmington city limits, will be held on Monday, December 23. To qualify, seniors must own and occupy the home in need of repair.
From Monday, December 9 at 7:30 a.m. to Friday, December 20 at 7:30 p.m., senior homeowners with limited incomes can apply for the lottery by calling the City’s Customer Service Center at 311 or registering online at www.wilmingtonde.gov/residents/311. The lottery is not first-come, first-served, so seniors have two full weeks to submit their applications.
Applicants must meet income eligibility requirements for the Homeowner Repair Program, with household incomes not exceeding 100% of the Area Median Income. An income chart is provided at the end of this release. Seniors who have received assistance from Habitat for Humanity in the past three years are ineligible for this lottery.
A random lottery process will ensure that all applicants have an equal chance to be selected. The drawing will take place on December 23, beginning at 10:30 a.m., and will be broadcast live on the City’s TV station, WITN TV (Comcast Channel 22), and online at www.witn22.org. Seniors will receive a case number upon registration, which will serve as their lottery number during the drawing.
File photo: Flooring in need of replace at a property Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018; in Wilmington, Delaware. Photo by Saquan Stimpson
Eligible senior homeowners selected in the lottery will be able to receive up to $10,000 for home repairs, which may include:
• Roof repair/replacement • HVAC repair/replacement • Weatherization • Window/door replacement • Electrical or lighting repairs
• Plumbing • Masonry repairs • Structural/safety repairs • Handicapped accessibility improvements • Exterior painting, and more.
This is the third homeowner repair lottery the City has held, with over 150 homeowners assisted through previous lotteries. Sixty-five senior homeowners will be selected in this latest round, and they will need to complete an application form for the City’s Real Estate and Housing Department to verify their eligibility.
Income Eligibility Chart for the Homeowner Repair Program:
City of Wilmington Income Limits (effective July 15, 2023)
• 1 person: $80,300 • 2 persons: $91,800 • 3 persons: $103,300 • 4 persons: $114,700 • 5 persons: $123,900 • 6 persons: $133,100 • 7 persons: $142,300
• 8 persons: $151,500