Building Inspections Begin: What You Can Do

Historical March 1990 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.

Warmer weather—and the building inspectors—will soon be upon us.

To help you cope with those inevitable home repairs, The Times has compiled this guide to Homeowner Resources. March1has been set as the start date for a complete inspection of the entire Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood.

This means that all buildings, commercial, apartments, and homes, will be viewed by a building inspector for code violations. Basic maintenance items, such as guttering, and safety items, such as sidewalks, are the focus of the inspections.

The stimulus these inspections will give is important; many readers will remember the significant number of homes which were painted as a result of the 1983 inspection program.

The Times will do a follow-up report this fall.

If you wish to alert us to your significantly improved property, give editor Sue Rothschild a call. Your new sidewalk or porch roof or great new fence could be featured in our special report.

DO IT YOURSELF HELP

So-called “sweat equity” means doing the work yourself—still a popular and viable option.

Many rehabbers are residents of the neighborhood and are willing to help teach neighbors the how-tos of many tasks. It’s a great way to get to know your neighbors. Information on many basic repairs and improvements is available on videotape.

The Hometime series from PBS is now offered at Central Hardware for $9.99 each. Roofs, decks, windows and doors, and many more titles are featured. Kingsbury Kiosk of the St. Louis Public Library is the place to get free video rental of many home-improvement tapes, including: Basic Carpentry—X0343361 Decks—X0343366 Energy Conservation—X0343367 Exterior remodeling projects— X0343370 Home repair—X0343373 Home security—X0343374 Home equity loans-19506423 Or attend a workshop or class Some of the springtime offerings at nearby sites of the St. Louis Community Colleges are listed below:

Concrete Workshop — Con: 715 537; Wednesday 6:30–9:30; March 7, 1 session; fee $7.50. Pattonville High School, 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road; offered through Flo Valley.

Add a room/Building — Con: 715 538; Wednesday 6:30–9:30; March 28–May 2, 6 sessions; fee $70. Pattonville High School, 2497 Creve Coeur Mill Road; offered through Flo Valley.

Building Inspection — Con: 715 551; Thursday 6:30–9:30; March 8; fee $7.50. Florissant Valley, A 234.

Tuckpointing — Con: 709 420; Monday 6:30–9:30; April 2, 1 session; fee $8. University City High School Cafeteria; offered through Forest Park.

Roofing/Soffits — Con: 715 420; Wednesday 6:30–9:30; April 25, 1 session; fee $8. University City High School Cafeteria; offered through Forest Park.

You may register in person. by mail, or even by phone if you charge fees to MasterCard, Visa or Discover.

Before calling to register, collect the following information: Course title, letter prefix and number (see above listings): name, address. and phone number, social security number, charge card number and expiration date. Forest Park: 644-9175 Flo Valley: 595-4444 Fee reduction for older adults: If you’re over 60, you may enroll in most courses for half price. Ask for information when you call.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Urban League: Call Darrell Grimes at 534-8222 The “Homeowners’ Assistance program” offers very low interest loans to persons who qualify under HUD’s low-income guidelines, as well as to senior citizens and disabled homeowners. Up to $20,000 may be borrowed to bring a home up to minimum code, including wiring, plumbing. roofing, porches, and more. Neighborhood Housing Services: Call Greg Greer at 381-8900 Up to $5.000 may be borrowed through this low-interest loan program. especially designed to help homeowners who have received building code violation notices.

For exterior repairs only, these loans generally have a 6% interest rate and up to 60 months to repay.

The staff also gives technical assistance in finding a contractor and reviewing bids for the work.

The Program insures follow-up by the building inspector, to close out the code violation.

Senior Home Security: Call 531-9779 Minor home repairs for safety and security are available through this service. Employees provide some electrical, plumbing and carpentry repairs, smoke alarms and locks.

The fees are low, with a sliding scale, based on income. Senior Home Security also offers furnace and A/C installation and service, room additions, siding, storm and replacement windows, tuckpointing and roofing, burglar alarms, and more, at 0% financing for clients below median income level. Other services include accessibility for the disabled at 0% interest, and a range of energy services to help reduce utility costs.

MHDC HOME IMPROVEMENT LOANS

Funded by the State (Missouri Housing Development Commission) and offered through area banks, these home improvement loans carry a reduced interest rate of 9¼%. Up to $15,000 can be borrowed to repair your roof, paint, put in a new sidewalk, upgrade wiring, add a room, remodel your kitchen, and more.

To qualify, your household income must not exceed the state’s guidelines for “nonfederally targeted census tracts:’ See chart below for maximum levels.

Total # in household

Maximum income 1 person $29,900 2 persons 34,270 3 persons 38,525 4 persons 42,780 5 persons 46,230 6 persons 49,680 7 persons 53,015 8 persons 55,465

Other qualifying criteria

include the following: You must own and occupy the home You must have a good credit history and the ability to repay the loan The property must be a single-family home (no 2- or 4-family buildings) No more than 15% of the building can be used as a business Loan funds cannot be used for refinancing or to pay off other home improvement loans If you want to take advantage of this limited-time offer, you may contact any one of the participating banks, listed below.

First, get bids from contractors or, if you are doing the work yourself, get cost estimates for the materials you will need. You can do the specific improvements you want, with your own choice of contractor(s), or the cost of materials only.

Most participating lenders charge an appraisal fee only if the loan is for a large amount, and most will allow you to include the fee in the loan if your wish.

No application fees are charged.

Participating lenders — Office closest to us — Contact person and phone:

United Missouri Bank — 7911 Forsyth — Mary Leopold, 621-1000.

Roosevelt Bank — 7905 Forsyth — Ron Beckmann, 532-6200.

Mercantile Bank — Lindell at Grand — Ask for information on MHDC loans, 289-9600.

Boatmen’s Bank — 4625 Lindell — Any personal banker, 367-4700.

Gateway National Bank — 3412 Union — Loan Department, 389-3000.

Lindell Trust Company — Clayton and McCausland — Ann Lewis, 645-7700.

This low-interest rate loan program is available state-wide, with varying eligibility criteria, depending on whether an area is a targeted census tract. Overseeing the program is David Maslen, in MHDC’s Kansas City Office. Maslen says, “The program (provides) families with another avenue of maintaining their homes… definitely more advantageous than helping them rehabilitate their homes down the road!’ By reducing interest rates and allowing for a ten-year payback, the program allows people to receive loans who normally might not qualify.

According to Mary Leopold, Vice President of United Missouri Bank, “the people that apply for these loans really need them:’ Leopold, whose work in 1989 accounted for over 39% of the loans made statewide, also feels that the program is straightforward for the lenders, thereby encouraging more lenders to participate. Good news for the consumer, because application and processing are not burdensome or time-consuming. Ron Beckmann, Vice President of Roosevelt Bank, suggests that homeowners who wish to apply for the loans contact any one of their branches for an application packet. (Nancy Farmer of Skinker-DeBaliviere Community Council also has a few.) Then, after getting bids, simply mail the packet to Roosevelt. Closing of the loan can be done at any convenient Roosevelt branch office, and any questions can be handled over the phone.

If you are eligible for this special financing, don’t delay, because the state agency has funds through a bond issue which expires in October.

The program has picked up momentum and may be extended, but 1990 is your best bet.

CONVENTIONAL LOANS:

Home equity loans are popular because interest is still tax-deductible for those who itemize deductions. Check with all the banks we mention in this article for specific rates and procedures. Ask, too, about any “specials’: Offering loans with reduced or no closing costs during limited time has proved to be a sound means of bringing in new banking customers.

If you’re confused about what this new type of loan means or how it works, you may wish to view the videotape mentioned in another part of this article, or attend a Home Equity Loans Workshop, to be held during March at the Hamilton Community School. Date had not been set as of press time, but you can call 367-6996 for information. Banks which offer Home Equity Loans, as well as other Home Improvement loans, include Boatmen’s, Mercantile, Gateway, Lindell Trust, United Missouri Bank, Roosevelt, and many others. Both Commerce Bank (6630 Delmar, 726-2255) and Landmark (968-4000) are offering home equity loans with no closing costs, for a limited time. Also check with: Central West End Bank, 415 DeBaliviere, our neighborhood bank.

According to Kathleen Hamilton, Vice President, the Central West End Bank offers three kinds of loans tailored to meet the needs of homeowners who desire financing for repairs: 1. FHA loans range up to $17,500, with up to 8 years to pay back.

Currently the interest rate is 12¼%, fixed rate. 2.

For loans of more than $17,500, you can apply for a “Second Mortgage’: meaning simply that the loan is secured by the property, second in line to the first mortgage.

To apply for this type loan, you will need bids on the work to be performed. 3. Refinancing/rehab and Purchase/ rehab Loans. CWE makes these loans specifically for new purchasers or homeowners who wish to make major renovations.

The maximum amount that can be loaned is either 80% of the purchase price + the bids for renovations OR 80% of the appraised value of the property after rehab, whichever is less. CWE handles disbursements for contractors, with a 1% disbursement fee.

However, the escrow account for the rehab funds pays interest at the same rate as the loan payment interest, thereby assuring that no additional funds are being paid out while the work goes on.

The interest rate for these loans is currently 10.63%, with terms of 15-, 20- or 25-years.

These are adjustable rate loans which may fluctuate as much as 2% per year, up to a maximum of 6% additional over the life of the loan.

For information and applications, call Kathleen Hamilton or Lyn Minniss at Central West End Bank, 367-8800.

Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, March 1990.

Read this article in the original newspaper issue.

Archival transcription note: Course and bank tables reconstructed from original page images; raw interleaved OCR preserved. All historical fees, loan rates, income ceilings and contacts require period context, not current advice.

Original source: SD_Times1990_03.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 4; PDF page(s) 1, 4.