HOME Rehab invests more in repairs
Linda Robinson is shown with Heidi in her Gardner home.
Linda Robinson lives in a more-than-century-old house in Gardner. It had old floors and windows, a basement that floods, a falling-apart garage door and the presence of radon. JoAnne Ludwig’s townhouse in Overland Park is half as old but also showing its age with many issues.
Until now.
They were helped in the HOME Rehabilitation program of Johnson County Housing Services. The federally funded program directly assists income-eligible homeowners with rehabilitation needs of their owner-occupied homes.
According to Heather McNeive, director of Housing Services, HOME Rehab accomplishes two goals: maintaining the affordable housing stock available in Johnson County and providing opportunities for homeowners on fixed incomes to keep their homes in good condition and age in place in a safe environment.
HOME Rehab addresses health and safety issues, accessibility needs and fixing local code citations. Projects, if approved, can be repairs or replacements of windows, doors, water heaters, furnaces, roofs and walls.
The program also has a “solid” waiting list. Ludwig was on the waiting list for nine months for repairs to her townhouse that was built in 1970. The townhouse has been her home for 30 years.
“It was a shock when they called and told me it was time,” she said with a smile.
The process – from when her application was selected to scheduling to completion – spanned a year.
Repairs/upgrades to her townhouse included plumbing (new faucets in the bathroom kitchen); installation of flooring, doors and windows; repairing bedroom ceiling sheetrock; replacement of garage door and HVAC; repair and replacement of wood rot; new partial roofing; and installation of a handrail at the front entrance.
The new rear door leading to the small courtyard has a dual purpose for her movements with a small, inserted door for her dog Ellie to come and go, too.
JoAnne Ludwig shares her Overland Park townhouse with Ellie.
“There’s no way I could do this no matter how long I work,” Ludwig said. She’s semi-retired at age 79 with a part-time job at a local funeral home. “Everything they’ve done was a miracle. It was a gift.”
Robinson agreed, saying her long wait was worth it. Her time on the waiting list was three years, seven months. From application to project completion required 14 months.
“Gosh, everything was so helpful,” she said. Built in 1909, her small house was once a feed store. The improvements “provided me a lot of peace of mind.” Repairs/upgrades included carpentry and drywall; installation of new guttering and windows; plumbing (replacement of main sewer line and hot water heater); installation of new flooring; concrete – foundation work; a new garage door and an accessible toilet.
“Things would have gone wrong right after another,” Robinson said.
She’s especially happy the sump pump was replaced.
“I don’t have to stay up all night to ensure my basement doesn’t flood,” she quipped.
Radon also was detected, requiring installation of a system to remove the health risk.
Robinson, 73, has lived in Gardner for 25 years, works parttime in a long career as a mental health nurse and shares her home as a pet rescuer of Heidi the beagle, Thumpalina the bunny and Scully the cat.
She loves having a functional closet; new windows, meaning no more cold drafts; and gutters keeping the leaves out. The home improvements reinforce her plans to age in place as long as she can.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Robinson said. “I plan to stay in my home, be comfortable and feel safe.”
About HOME Rehabilitation
The HOME Rehabilitation program by Johnson County Housing Services can invest up to $40,000 in necessary repairs to homes of eligible homeowners under the valuation cap of $304,000.
Funding for repairs/improvements involves a deferred payment loan at 0% interest. The principal in the loan is forgiven by 10% per year and paid off in 10 years. The loan instrument is recorded with the Johnson County Register of Deeds Office.
If at any time the property changes ownership, the remaining amount of the loan must be repaid. If the homeowner dies, the remaining loan balance is collected according to the date of death when the property is sold.
Housing Services is a division of the Johnson County Planning, Housing and Community Development Department In 2024, HOME Rehab provided $447,501 and completed 12 projects. The 2025 program has completed 12 projects as of Oct. 14.