Heritage home grants

A grant program to help heritage property owners fund restoration projects passed the first hurdle at Hamilton city hall Tuesday. It would target homes and businesses that aren’t covered by existing funding. About 600 properties in the city have official heritage designation but less than 200 of them are eligible for the existing grant.

That funding only covers downtown and business improvement areas that are classified as “community improvement project” areas. The new grant would apply to the remaining 400 plus properties. It would come from a $250 thousand dollar reserve fund — so it’s existing money and would be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Property owners could get up to $5,000 dollars to fund fifty per cent of a heritage renovation project — which can get expensive because certain historic elements have to be preserved.

Hazel Milsone is Coordinator of Financial Incentives for the city of Hamilton: “Designated properties are important to the city of Hamilton because of our history and to assist property owners in the conservation of and preservation of those properties it’s important we also offer them an incentive.”

The planning committee voted the proposal through Tuesday but it still needs the final okay from council. That vote will take place next week and if it passes, funding applications could open as early as the end of April.