Allen, Putnam Counties and Delphos Team Up for $1.1M Home Repair Grant

Allen County, Putnam County and the city of Delphos are joining forces in a cooperative bid for Ohio Department of Development funding that could deliver up to $1.1 million in home repair assistance to income-qualified homeowners across the three jurisdictions.

The Allen County Board of Commissioners voted in May 2023 to enter into a joint cooperation agreement with Putnam County and Delphos, authorizing a combined application to the state's Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) program. Because grant ceilings are tied to population, Allen County and Putnam County can each qualify for up to $400,000, while Delphos is eligible for up to $300,000 — a combined request of $1.1 million.

What the CHIP Program Covers

CHIP is designed to keep existing homeowners in safe, habitable housing by funding essential repairs that are often out of reach for low- and moderate-income families. Eligible projects under the program include:

• Furnace replacements
• Water heater replacements
• Roof replacements
• Electrical system upgrades
• Plumbing upgrades
• ADA accessibility modifications

For qualifying applicants, approved repairs are funded at no cost to the homeowner.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible, homeowners must earn at 80 percent or below the area median income for the county or municipality where they live. Applicants will need to provide documentation during the intake process, including:

• Household size and ages of household members
• Six months of bank statements
• Recent utility bills
• Mortgage information

How to Apply

Assuming the grant is awarded, administration will be split between two agencies. The Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) will handle intake and project management for the Allen County and Delphos allocations, while Putnam County will manage applications through its own designated contact.

Program officials have advised interested homeowners to hold off on applying until the fall. Because an eligibility determination expires after six months, applying too early risks having to requalify before repairs can begin. Residents were encouraged to reach out in October or November once funds are expected to be in place.

Why the Joint Application Matters

Pooling the three jurisdictions into a single CHIP application lets the region compete for a larger combined award than any one community could pursue alone. It also streamlines administration, letting GLCAP leverage its existing home-repair infrastructure for both Allen County and Delphos residents while Putnam County handles its own caseload.

For homeowners in the Lima–Delphos–Ottawa corridor who have been putting off a failing furnace, a leaky roof or an aging electrical panel, the upcoming CHIP cycle represents one of the larger pools of no-cost repair funding the region has seen in recent years.