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Commerce launches $325,000 home-beautification grant program for owner-occupied homes
Summary
The City of Commerce will accept applications starting April 9 for a new $325,000 Home Beautification Grant Program that will offer up to $10,000 per household on a first-come, first-served basis; about 25 households are expected to be assisted and eligibility is limited by occupancy and income thresholds tied to 180% of area median income.
The City of Commerce on Tuesday launched a Home Beautification Grant Program aimed at improving exterior housing conditions in the city. Community Development Director Jessica Serrano told the council the program has a $325,000 appropriation from the general fund and will accept applications beginning April 9, 2026.
Serrano said grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible owner-occupied properties, with awards up to $10,000 and an anticipated 25 households assisted. Eligible projects must be visible from the street and may include exterior painting, door and trim work, dry-rot repairs, stair and walkway repairs, window and handrail replacement, fencing, and water-saving landscaping.
The program is targeted at owner-occupied single-family homes, duplexes and multifamily buildings of up to four units; Serrano said household income eligibility is set at 180% of the area median income and noted that for a typical family of four that threshold translates to about $191,880.
Serrano described outreach plans that include a program website (already live), social media posts, printed flyers at city facilities and elementary schools, and a citywide mailer to be delivered March 28. She said applicants will submit a preliminary application and — if selected — will have 15 days to complete a full application with required documentation; Serrano estimated roughly 60 days from pre-application approval to the start of any approved construction.
Council members asked whether concentrating awards in one neighborhood was possible under a first-come, first-served system and whether outreach materials were available in Spanish. Serrano confirmed Spanish-language materials and reiterated staff will use multiple contact methods if applicants do not immediately respond to outreach.
The council did not take a separate vote on the item; Serrano said the council had previously approved the appropriation on Jan. 27, 2026. The city will return with program materials and staffing details as applications are processed.
