Home Rehabilitation Loan Program

The Home Rehabilitation Program strives to sustain the quality of life in our community, provide an affordable housing rehabilitation option to low and moderate income households, preserve the existing housing stock in our neighborhoods, and provide employment opportunities for local contractors.

The Home Rehabilitation Loan Program uses funds from the Community Development Block Grant to provide low-interest loans for the rehabilitation of one- to four-unit family residences. The residences must be occupied by owner households with incomes at or below 80% of the median income of Whatcom County (PDF).

In addition to providing loans, the program offers the following services:

Inspection to determine needed health, safety and deferred maintenance repairs
Preparation of scope of work
Assistance in bid solicitation, contractor selection and contract preparation
Assistance in construction oversight
Referrals to other agencies for social services beneficial to low- and moderate-income households
Referral of fair housing complaints
Information on lead-based paint hazards

Forms and Guidelines

For more information about the Home Rehabilitation Loan Program contact Lisa Manos at 360-778-8391 or e-mail lmanos@cob.org

Notice to Contractors

The City of Bellingham Home Rehabilitation Program (HRP) is seeking qualifications from licensed, bonded, and insured general contractors experienced with the rehabilitation of single family (1-4 unit) homes. Contractors interested in working through the Home Rehabilitation Program must complete a Contractor Qualification Form. Selected contractors will be part of a contractor pool, which will then have the opportunity to bid on privately owned single-family (1-4 unit) rehabilitation construction projects.

Responsibilities of the Contractor

Hold a current certification of registration with the State of Washington as a General Contractor or Specialty Contractor per RCW 18.27.010;
Be licensed and bonded in the State of Washington;
Furnish evidence of comprehensive public liability insurance coverage for not less than $1,000,000/$300,000 bodily injury including death, and $50,000 property damage;
Coordinate with HRP staff as required throughout bidding and construction;
Conduct visual inspections of occupied, 1-4 unit residential structures and accessory structures;
Prepare bid package for HRP clients;
Obtain building permits from the City of Bellingham Permit Center;
Complete work in accordance with the Standard Specification Guide (PDF) provided by the HRP;
On housing built before 1978, be EPA/HUD certified in, and use Lead Safe Work Practices when working on any painted surface identified or assumed to contain lead-based paint;
Submit to third party clearance testing for work performed on lead-based paint surfaces.

Please note: this list is intended only for the Home Rehabilitation Program. This list is not for the Small Work roster for Public Works Projects or for the City of Bellingham on-call list for consultant services.

Questions related to this request for qualifications may be directed to Matthew Bautista at 360-778-8384.
Responses shall be mailed or hand-delivered to the Planning & Community Development Department located at 210 Lottie St, Bellingham, WA 98225, or emailed to mbautista@cob.org.
Responses by FAX will not be accepted.

The City of Bellingham is committed to providing equal opportunities to the State of Washington certified Minority, Disadvantaged and Women's Business Enterprises in contracting activities. The City of Bellingham reserves the right to cancel this "Notice to Contractors", reject any or all proposals, and to waive minor informalities for proposers if it is deemed in the public interest to do so.