The purpose of this workshop is to review and discuss outcomes and impacts of Great Homes as well as proposed changes for Year 2 implementation.
Background
The City’s Two-Year action plan identifies Redevelopment as the top priority for the City, which includes Residential Reinvestment.
On February 7, 2023, the City Council approved Resolution No. 22-57 and Resolution No. 22-55, approving City Council policies for a Great Homes Design Economic Development Program and a Great Homes Update Economic Development Program. Both programs accomplish Residential Reinvestment and are a part of Great Homes, an initiative created to empower Sugar Land residents and communities to participate with the City in preserving, protecting, and enhancing Sugar Land’s single-family housing and neighborhood areas. Applications for both programs opened to Sugar Land residents on February 15, 2023.
Great Homes Design Program
The Great Homes Design Program provides Sugar Land homeowners and community-based organizations, such as homeowner associations (HOAs), with a creative, re-envisioned exterior home design at a Sugar Land-exclusive cost. Homeowners who substantially implement at least one qualifying exterior incentive to their home within six months of receiving an exterior home design through the program were eligible to receive a one-time rebate check from the City. Exterior home design vouchers are available through Brick & Batten as well as Dzinly, who are both firms that were selected following a request for qualifications released by the City on December 7, 2022.
Applications remain open for the Great Homes Design Program. Sugar Land homeowners can apply for a design from Brick & Batten or Dzinly through the program website - https://sugarlandecodev.com/great-homes. As of August 9th, approximately 76 home design vouchers have been distributed, and 174 home design vouchers remain available for new applicants.
Great Homes Update Program
The Great Homes Update Program is an incentive program that promotes local economic development through encouraging reinvestment in single-family properties. Eligible homeowners can apply for a reimbursement incentive to complete qualifying projects that rehabilitate, enhance, or refurbish the exterior of their residential property.
Applications for the exterior rebate program, the Great Homes Update Program, closed on July 17, 2023 after all of the budgeted program funding ($500,000) had been committed as reimbursement incentives to eligible applications. As a reminder, reimbursement incentives were offered for 10% or 25% of an eligible project’s total cost, depending on the age and market value of the property. Below are program statistics for the FY23 Great Homes Update program:
- 166 approved home improvement projects
- 76 projects have been completed and paid out
- 90 projects are ongoing
- Approximately $2,737,718 in total project costs
- Average total project cost per home = ~$16,492
- Average City reimbursement amount= ~$3,021
- Project Types*
- Windows: 86
- Siding: 44
- Painting: 44
- Driveway: 32
- Landscaping: 24
- Fence: 23
- Roof: 13
- Garage: 8
- Lighting: 7
- Front Patio: 2
- *Over 45% of program participants completed more than one eligible project type in their exterior improvement project
Moving forward, program staff will continue to process reimbursement incentives for program participants who are still completing projects.
Workshop
Following lessons learned from Year 1 implementation of Great Homes, staff is proposing improvements to the program policy for the Great Homes Update Program. During the workshop, staff will review accomplishments from Year 1 as well as a summary of improvements to the program guidelines.