Residential Toolbox Grants

The City of Salem is offering Residential Toolbox Grants, a program designed to support the enhancement or restoration of historically-designated residential properties. While the specific foundation mission alignment is not explicitly stated, the City's role as the donor suggests an alignment with preserving local heritage, promoting historical integrity, and supporting property owners in maintaining the aesthetic and structural value of their historic homes. This grant serves as a direct financial incentive to encourage responsible stewardship of the city's historical architecture. The primary target beneficiaries of this program are owners of historically-designated residential properties within the City of Salem. The overarching impact goal is to preserve and enhance the historic character of the city, ensuring that valuable architectural heritage is maintained for future generations. By offering financial assistance, the program aims to alleviate some of the financial burden associated with maintaining historic properties, thereby encouraging broader participation in preservation efforts. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly outlined through its application criteria. The proposed work must enhance or restore the historic nature of the structure, preserve, renovate, or rebuild its historic aspects, and meet the design standards specified in SRC Chapter 230. Furthermore, the work must be on the exterior facade of an eligible contributing building or involve a seismic retrofit that has received a building permit. Compliance with state regulations in Lead Safe Practices is also mandatory, and applicants cannot have any historic code violations in the last year. These stringent criteria ensure that funded projects align with best practices in historic preservation. The expected outcomes and measurable results include a greater number of historically-designated residential properties being successfully enhanced, restored, or preserved. The maximum grant award of $1,000 per applicant, while modest, is intended to support specific, critical interventions that contribute to the overall preservation goals. Measurable results would include the number of grants awarded, the types of projects undertaken (e.g., exterior facade restoration, seismic retrofits), and the adherence of these projects to the stipulated design and safety standards. The program's strategic priority is the direct, tangible preservation of the city's historic residential fabric, with a theory of change that posits that financial incentives will lead to increased and more compliant historic property maintenance, ultimately contributing to the city's cultural and architectural heritage.