A new home improvement program, passed by the Chicago City Council last week, will allow Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago (NHS) to help longtime homeowners improve their homes and stay in the neighborhood as property values continue to rise significantly near the 606 Bloomingdale trail. The program provides grants up to $25,000, available to longtime residents, for critical repairs such as porch and roof replacements. The grants are forgivable after five years, and will help homeowners earning up to 120 percent of the area median income. The City Council approved a total of $1,000,000 for the program, which NHS will administer through an application and approval process. The funds will be sourced from the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, which was created through Chicago’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance. A similar version of this program was offered in 2016, shortly after the 606 trail was constructed. NHS is in the process of planning the application rollout this summer.  Homeowners interested in applying for a 606 Bloomingdale Trail grant should contact NHS Client Services at 773-329-4111 to be added to the notification list for the program launch, which will also include public meetings in the community. For more information about NHS, visit nhschicago.org or call 773-329-4111.