OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Bristol Township is an entitlement community under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG).  As an entitlement community, the Township receives an annual allocation of federal funds to improve the quality of life to benefit income qualified persons and low to moderate income areas within Bristol Township.

Click here to review the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan.

Click here to review the Proposed FY2024 Action Plan.

Bucks County Launches $10 million Home Repair Program

The Bucks County Home Repair Program (BCHRP) will start accepting applications on July 1. The program, pronounced as “bee-chirp,” was created to support low to moderate income homeowners by providing up to $50,000 for necessary home repairs and modifications. Eligible repairs include critical updates to roofing, plumbing, electrical systems, heating, and necessary accessibility modifications like ramps and grab bars. Funds for approved projects will be disbursed directly to BCHRP-certified contractors. Fifty percent of these funds will be issued as grants, with the remainder provided as a deferred payment loan that does not accrue interest and is due upon the property’s resale, title transfer, or refinance. For more details on the program, including eligibility criteria and application instructions, visit the BCHRP website at BucksCounty.gov/BCHRP or call the BCHRP Helpline at 267-899-6544.

Bristol Township Emergency Repair Program

Applications for 2024 are CLOSED.

Bristol Township receives federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.  Bristol Township Council allocates a portion of these federal funds for the Emergency Repair Program. This program is designed to assist income qualified homeowners complete emergency repairs to their residential property to promote safe and healthy living conditions. These funds are primarily used for roofing, heating, sewer, plumbing and electrical systems problems. This program is not intended for cosmetic repairs such as patios, garages, bow windows, unfinished rooms, etc.

Assistance under this program is available to any Bristol Township resident meeting the income qualifications as described above without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap or familial status

Eligibility is determined based on the following list of qualifications:

• Applicant must be a Bristol Township resident;
• Applicant must be the owner and occupant of the housing unit requiring rehabilitation assistance for a period of at least two years;
• The unit of the application must be the applicant’s primary residence;
• Federal guidelines for very low and low income in accordance with the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 as issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) shall apply.  Annual income shall be the gross amount of anticipated income to be received by all occupants of the dwelling unit.  Applicant must qualify according to the CDBG allowable annual income level based on household size.  Income levels are adjusted annually by the Federal Government.

Qualified Applicants

An income qualified applicant is a person who has submitted all information required in the application process requested by the Bristol Township Community Development Office (BTCDO) and the information submitted has been verified by the BTCDO and found to be in compliance with the following criteria:

• Family size in correlation with the total household income;
• Total household income;
• Income may not exceed 80% of median family income;
• Ownership and occupancy of the single-family housing unit for a period of at least two years.

Qualification does not guarantee program participation.

2024 CDBG Income Guidelines

Income is defined as the combined gross annual income of all occupants in the dwelling unit.  Potential recipients shall be required to prove annual income.  Income shall include, but not limited to, Employment, Veterans’ Benefits, Public Assistance Dividends, Social Security, Alimony/Child Support, and Pension Income.  Assets such as stocks, bonds, cash and real estate shall be considered.

Standards of Rehabilitation

Bristol Township is only undertaking EMERGENCY repairs.  This includes heaters in the winter, roof repair or replacement, sewer line repair/replacement, and electrical repairs that constitute an emergency.  The program will not fully rehabilitate a structure to code, but will address emergency repairs. Township staff will determine whether a true emergency exists.  Properties will be limited to one system for repair, or a maximum grant per household of $10,000.

What types of emergencies are eligible?

You can apply for emergency repair if your home’s problems include:

• Dangerous electrical conditions, such as overheating or sparking wiring or entire circuits that won’t stay on
• Leaking or broken sewer lines
• Leaking or broken water service lines
• Roof leaks which have caused a 4 sq. ft. or larger section of ceiling to collapse (Small roof leaks are not considered emergencies)
• Carpentry repairs to floors and joists and limited repairs to exterior walls.