Bidding & Selection of Contractor

The property owner must provide the City with 3 quotes from licensed and insured contractors.  The property owner may select the lowest responsible contractor.  If the applicant wishes to select a bid other than the lowest responsible bid, he/she must pay the difference between the lowest responsible bid and the preferred contractor’s bid.  A contractor must have a Business Registration Certificate (BRC) and adequate insurance to participate in the program. All permits required are the responsibility of the contractor.

Selection Procedure:

1. Income eligible, homeowners residing within the City of Trenton with an urgent need, are encouraged to apply for rehabilitation assistance. 

Applications will be accepted as long as funding is available.

Once the complete application is submitted and accepted, the application will be placed on a waiting list based on the time and date of the submitted completed application. In order of receipt, program staff will proceed with the verification of eligibility requirements including, but not limited to verification of household income, occupancy status, ownership status, payment of property taxes, and the existence of liens, and as described fully in this document. 

The waiting list will be purged once all funds allocated to the program each year is expended.  Applicants will not be carried over into a new funding cycle and will be required to reapply for the subsequent year program if applicable.

2. Once all eligibility requirements have been verified, applicants will then be contacted to schedule an appointment with the Program Staff and will then proceed with project development to determine the feasibility and time frame of the rehabilitation needed to bring the dwelling into compliance with applicable building and housing codes.
3. If the dwelling unit is determined feasible for rehabilitation, then the City and the homeowner will execute a Rehabilitation Agreement for Homeowners. If the unit is determined infeasible for rehabilitation, the City will inform the applicant of ineligibility. 
4. The project will then proceed through the bidding process and if the project is financially feasible and within the program budget amounts, the City will provide a standard form of construction contract, (the City of Trenton Owner and Contractor Construction Agreement), to be executed between the homeowner and the selected construction contractor.
5. Standard City of Trenton purchasing policies shall apply to the bidding process with the exception that “low bid” will not be the sole determining factor when selecting a contractor. This is because there are a limited number of qualified contractors associated with this program and a limit to how many projects one contractor can successfully complete at any given time. It is also the City’s intent to allow the homeowner a degree of input in the selection process with the understanding that final selection will be at the discretion of program staff.
6. The City reserves the right to amend or close the application period or process as determined necessary by program staff and in accordance with any applicable public notice requirements.