Does anybody have any experience in Historic Renovation Grants from the Government

I have many questions on the issue because it seems like a very lucrative way of business. Questions like, What the individual grants and names? What website is best to find them? Which are best Federal or State or both if possible? What are the time frame in getting one?How much do I have to pay upfront? What evidence do I have to provide to even qualify? Anything anybody has to add will be much appreciated. I believe Detroit is coming backed want to be a apart of it.

P.S. it may not matter but Im 20 years old will that cause any difficulties?

Listen man, the last thing Detroit needs is to be told by a 20 year old what it needs and how to do it. I don't intend to disrespect you, just to tell you straight: you have no idea what you are talking about.

even if you know more about something than anyone else, you still are clueless.

if you really are sincere and want to make a difference in the City, join one of the 100,000 non-profits that currently exist here and learn about the people, the life, the needs and the wants.

coming on a msg board and asking for help to get free grant money is a real turn-off. It makes you look arrogant and ignorant.

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Originally Posted by gnome

Listen man, the last thing Detroit needs is to be told by a 20 year old what it needs and how to do it. I don't intend to disrespect you, just to tell you straight: you have no idea what you are talking about.

even if you know more about something than anyone else, you still are clueless.

if you really are sincere and want to make a difference in the City, join one of the 100,000 non-profits that currently exist here and learn about the people, the life, the needs and the wants.

coming on a msg board and asking for help to get free grant money is a real turn-off. It makes you look arrogant and ignorant.

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Me, I liked your post. I appreciated your energy and openness. Bring it on and ignore nay-sayers.

As to your post... let's start here. Grants are usually, but not exclusively, given to non-profit organizations. They aren't usually to individuals.

I was confused by your comment about 'lucrative business'. What do you mean by that.

Your post does suggest you don't know very much. So asking people is a great place to start. I think you will get a few more positive responses here -- and more if you share a little more about what you are thinking about.

My suggestion #1 would be to meet with someone from Preservation Wayne [[or whatever they call themselves now) and learn. Buy coffee. Listen.

You're right I don't know much that's why I asked. The reason I asked that question on this forum is because I am clueless on the matter and the people on this forum seem like reasonably intelligent people. I asked out of respect from the few years of periodically checking this forum. How I came across as arrogant or ignorant is, honestly, beyond me I asked a question out of respect. Now I have the answer. So thanks for nothing Gnome but Thank you Wesley Mouch and anybody else who can inform me on my question.

I am going to make a wild guess and say that the reason you are asking is because you bought a historic house and are looking at ways to help on the restoration part of it?

As far as it being lucrative? maybe,if you assist others as a historical restoration contractor but that process takes years and unless George Washington slept there it will not work and you really need to have some politics under your belt.

Historic restoration and preservation comes from the heart and does not bode well mixing lucrative into it unless you buy an apartment building or something on that order and apply for tax credits etc,or buy a bunch of buildings and tear them down and have the taxpayers build something sports related then it becomes lucrative,but you need to have a few million to start with.

You can rally the neighbors and form a neighborhood association and petition the city council to have a historic neighborhood destination which frees up grants for everybody to improve not just the individual.

The feds give grants to each city to dispense in order to stabilize for the common good.

Michigan terminated historic tax credits back in Jan. 2012 but I think you can still apply for Fed tax credits if you live in a historic district. You must fill out numerous apps and take lots of photos of your renovation before and after. Try 517-373-1630 or

preservation@michigan.gov.

A certified historic structure is any building that is listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places, or located in a registered historic distinct and certified as being of historic significance to the district. A registered historic district is any district that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, or designated under a local ordinance under Michigan Public Act 169 of 1970, as amended, which has been certified by the National Park Service as substantially meeting all the requirements for listing of districts in the National Register. Simply being listed in a locally designated historic district is not sufficient to gain access to the Federal tax credits. A certified rehabilitation is any rehabilitation of a certified historic structure that is certified as being consistent with the historic character of the property and, where applicable, the district in which it is located. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation are used to determine whether the historical character of the building is preserved through the process of rehabilitation.

I worked for a general contractor who tried to use these credit to rehab a small apartment building. Not only is it a long paper-laden process, but the requirements are very difficult to meet, unfortunately. I am basically a preservationist, but realistically they make it very difficult.

Just picking the right windows took 4-5 meetings and mountains of paperwork. The overall project was eventually scrapped because the cost of meeting the requirements was prohibitive.

I used to be rather involved in the preservation world, but it's been many years ago now. Dept of History, Preservation, Michigan in Lansing used to oversee many things, don't know if it still works that way. I'm sure the folks I used to know are probably long gone too.

Try starting here Young Detroit.
http://www.mhpn.org/
http://www.michigan.gov/mshda/0,1607...317---,00.html

One more starting point. Learn the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation:

http://www.nps.gov/hps/tps/standguid..._standards.htm

Don't forget HUD's requirement for proper lead-safe renovation. As mentioned, this is all very tedious. Fines can be levied up to 30K/day if an inspector drives by and sees a paint crew practicing "un-safe" lead practices [[i.e. scraping). Not that they will, esp in Detroit, but it has happened with bigger crews, and painters will work all that into their costs.

You're better off buying a managable house [[under 2000' sq), with a decent roof, furnace and a working bathroom, buying a book or looking up stuff online, and tackling it room by room.

And don't watch those home shows. I saw some guy get his floors done, with stain, in 8 seconds. It takes about 8 days to sand [[three to four times), vaccuum, wipe down, and put 4 coats down. In the show it costs 5k. You can do it for $300 in tool rental and $300-400 [[8 gal) of oil based polyeurathane. Back-braking labor for sure. Painting a room can be a project. Start in the bedrooms so by the time your get to the living room and dining room you've figured what works and what doesn't, so those rooms look the best. Painting kitchens takes F_O_R_E_V_E_R. If you do it in four hours, it will look like it.