Brecksville residents with houses 50 and older may qualify for new home improvement program

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio — Owners of homes 50 and older can obtain low-interest loans for repairs and renovations, as well as free technical assistance, through a program new to Brecksville.

It’s called the Heritage Home Program, offered by the nonprofit Cleveland Restoration Society, which works to preserve historic buildings.

“Any … program that has the potential to save residents in Brecksville money, I will continue to encourage our City Council to look into,” Mayor Daryl Kingston told cleveland.com last week.

“With so many of our homes in Brecksville at or near 50 years of age, this program made sense to join now,” Kingston said.

Homes eligible for assistance through the Heritage Home Program don’t have to be historic in nature, just 50 or older.

The home cannot contain more than three living units.

The program is available for residents with a maximum household income of $77,760 who own a home valued at $750,000 or less.

Home Heritage projects include both exterior and interior work, such as kitchen and bath improvements, additions, roof repairs and replacements, basement waterproofing and insulation installations.

Council President Dominic Caruso said that according to statistics provided by Kingston, 48 percent of homes in Brecksville are 50 or older.

The number will rise to 70 percent in 12 years.

City Council voted in December to bring the Heritage Home Program to Brecksville.

It will cost the city $7,480 in 2025. The price will likely change if the city renews the program for 2026.

Jasmine Prezenkowski, Heritage Home Program team leader at the Cleveland Historic Society, told council in November that technical assistance comes in the form of a 30-minute home visit by a construction specialist.

Homeowners can ask the construction specialist questions about virtually any subject.

For example, they can seek advice on how to paint their home exterior, prioritize home improvements or make their homes more energy efficient.

If homeowners decide to proceed with home improvements, they can apply for loans with KeyBank, which offers an interest rate as low as 2 percent, or Third Federal Savings & Loan, which has an interest rate of 4.9 percent.

The minimum loan though KeyBank is $3,000 and the maximum loan is $150,000. The range for Third Federal is $5,200 to $150,000, Prezenkowski said.

There are loan eligibility requirements. The home has to be insured and the owner must have some equity in the home. Also, tax payments on the property must be up to date.

Prezenkowski estimated that about 2,290 homes in Brecksville would qualify for the Heritage Home Program.

Prezenkowski said 45 communities, including 43 in Cuyahoga County, were participating in the Heritage Home Program before Brecksville joined.

Solon and Independence signed onto the Heritage Home Program in 2024, Prezenkowski said. North Royalton and Strongsville are also participants.

Under the professional services agreement the city signed with the Cleveland Restoration Society and Heritage Home, the program will notify eligible homeowners through direct mailings, distribute literature about the program at city buildings and libraries, and provide links to program information on the city website.

The program will provide reports to the city regarding which and how many homeowners are participating and specifications for each home improvement project.

The program also will monitor progress on each project once construction begins and provide technical advice during construction if asked to do so.

The program will inspect the project once work is completed and ensure that it complies with bid specifications.

According to the Cleveland Restoration Society website, the Heritage Home Program also provides information on local contractors who might perform the work and reviews contractor bids with homeowners.

All projects must be completed in 18 months.

Read more from the Sun Star Courier.