KRLBA acquired 360 S Elm Avenue via donation from the City of Kankakee. The house is a 2-bedroom, 1 bath single-family property. The house itself needs moderate rehab – new kitchen and bath, repair the electric heat, and other standard rehabs for a vacant home. On our inspection, we discovered the foundation had deteriorated to the point it was putting the house at risk. Water seepage into the basement created a risk of serious mold and damp issues, not to mention putting the structure at risk. The previous owners had framed out the basement with rooms, despite what must have been never ending problems with seepage and flooding.

To put the house back together, KRLBA is replacing the foundation completely. We raised the foundation walls about 16″ and replaced the rotted framing that supports the house. We also installed a proper drain system to keep water away from the foundation, will replace the sump pump, and will grade the yard to improve drainage away from the house. When the foundation project is done, KRLBA will repair or replace the roof, gutters and downspouts. The rehab is paid for by a grant from the state. While expensive for a typical homeowner, stabilizing a house for $60,000 beats trying to replace it with a new one, which can easily run $150,000 and up.

The buyer will complete remaining repairs and be required to bring the property up to code within 12 months of transfer. As per our policy, we expect the buyer to have the home ready for occupancy within 12 months and expect that with the dry basement, they will be able to add more living space or a bathroom in the basement, making it ideal for a family.