FLIP, or Facades of Louisburg Improvement Program, provides matching funds from the city to assist in facade improvements of homes and businesses and for enhanced life safety improvements for commercial interior work. All applications must be approved BEFORE work is started.
FLIP Residential provides city residents a one-time reimbursement grant of 50% of the project costs to make exterior improvements to the front of their home. However, the city’s reimbursable amount shall not exceed $1,000. For example, if your project costs $500 then the reimbursable amount will be $250; a $1,500 project will award $750 and a project $2,000 or more will get a reimbursement of $1,000, the full amount allowed.
Eligible projects include concrete work such as a new driveway, stoop or sidewalk or foundation repair, exterior window or door replacement, painting, siding or roofing, landscaping or lighting. The FLIP application provides a detailed list of eligible projects and other guidelines. The program is open to any resident in Louisburg whose home is valued under $250,000. The FLIP application is available on the City’s website. The residential program is open on a first-come, first-served basis until funding is depleted. The City Council set aside $20,000 for the residential program. Residential applicants must complete a W-9 form.
FLIP-Commercial is available to any business located inside the city limits. Improvements to the front facade of the business, like exterior painting, brick tucking, window and door replacement, signage and lighting are just a few of the eligible projects. Businesses are eligible for a reimbursement up to 40 percent of the project costs with the City’s reimbursable amount to not exceed $2,500. The business application is also available on the City’s website. A business will also need to complete a W-9 form.
Businesses may also take advantage of FLIP-Enhanced. That program will award up to $5,000 for improvements to other sides of a building than that façade as well as life-safety concerns to the building’s interior. Criteria for life-safety repairs includes: professional design services for structural engineering, engineering or architectural drawings; new wiring or electrical paneling to bring building up to current building code; fire sprinkler system repair or installation; interior fire separations to appropriate rating, including doors; new or improved egress, including interior elevation work as required; and required life-safety signage (fire exits, escape routes, etc.)
Each business application is scored by the Miami County Economic Development staff and the scoring metric is available in the program details and application. The program is open on a first-come, first-served basis. FLIP-Commercial has a budget of $15,000 with FLIP-Enhanced budget at $30,000.
FLIP began in 2018 as a way to encourage historic downtown businesses and homeowners in the older part of town to make improvements to their storefronts or homes to coincide with the updates to Broadway in the downtown area.
Instructions on how to submit an application are located in each packet of information.