WARREN — An emergency home repair program backed by the city that has fixed leaking roofs, broken furnaces and other critical problems for 149 low-income homeowners is now straining under demand, with 163 more households on a wait-list that grows by five to 10 applicants each week.

The Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership’s Emergency Home Repair Program, launched in 2023, is using a mix of $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds and $250,000 from the city’s general fund as a deliberate strategy to stabilize existing housing stock and keep families in their homes rather than let properties deteriorate into demolitions, according to TNP Executive Director and Trumbull County Land Bank coordinator Matt Martin.

Officials say the one-time money already has funded nearly $1.17 million out the door, with another $80,000 committed, but the program continues without a clear end date and relies on future grants, along with additional city support.

The households helped so far report an average annual income of just under $22,000. Repairs have focused on health and safety: 52% involved roofs and gutters, 15.4% addressed HVAC systems such as furnaces, 8.3% covered accessibility upgrades like ramps and railings, with smaller shares going to plumbing, electrical work and hot water tanks. The average project costs about $8,000, though administrators have stretched dollars creatively.

Program administrator Caitlyn Brown told council members earlier this week that the initial city and ARP investment has been leveraged across six or seven additional grants since 2023, pulling in approximately $4 million to $5 million more for repairs. That has allowed some households to receive up to $15,000 in total help by blending funding pots.

Martin said the program is both necessary and successful.

“We want to help people get the bucket out of the living room and be able to have a higher quality of life,” he said. “We also have done a significant number of demolitions over the years, so we look at this as being related to that, in the sense that this is an investment in our existing housing stock. I’m tired of tearing down houses.”

Warren Mayor Doug Franklin praised the collaboration.

“This money was well spent,” Franklin said. “You’re turning these dollars and leveraging it to create even more additional money. We just don’t have the capacity alone.”

The $250,000 city council approved just weeks ago is expected to be committed quickly. An annual report detailing the work will be posted on the city’s website.

In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, council:

• Approved the city joining the state’s cooperative road salt purchasing program through ODOT.

• Updated the city’s official traffic control map with parking changes on Bryan Place NW and Porter NE.

• Approved participation in a national opioid settlement with pharmaceutical distributors.