Financial Assistance for Home Repairs

What Has Changed

• USDA limits were rechecked. The regular Section 504 program still lists a $40,000 maximum loan and $10,000 maximum grant. In a qualifying Presidentially declared disaster area, USDA lists a $15,000 Section 504 grant limit and up to $55,000 when an eligible loan and grant are combined.
• A separate USDA disaster program is active in 2026. USDA’s disaster repair program currently lists a maximum grant of $32,420 for qualifying homeowners in specified disaster areas. The same USDA page says applications are accepted for processing through September 30, 2026, but also contains year-round-while-funded language. Treat September 30 as the safer published cutoff and confirm current timing with USDA.
• Do not budget around an old federal energy tax credit. The IRS says the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit is not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Some state, territory, and Tribal rebate programs may still be available in 2026.

Main Home Repair Funding Options

City and county repair programs

For many homeowners, the best first call is local. Cities, counties, housing departments, community development offices, and nonprofit partners may offer owner-occupied rehabilitation, emergency repairs, accessibility work, code repairs, grants, forgivable loans, or deferred loans. Local rules and funding differ.

Ask about income limits, ownership and occupancy rules, property-tax or mortgage requirements, liens, how long you must remain in the home, and whether the program is taking applications. If you need help comparing a loan or understanding housing choices, use HUD’s housing counseling finder or call 1-800-569-4287.

USDA Section 504 for rural homeowners

The USDA Section 504 repair program serves eligible very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural areas. Loans may repair, improve, or modernize a home. Grants are for eligible homeowners age 62 or older and must remove health and safety hazards.

USDA currently lists a maximum regular loan of $40,000, a maximum regular grant of $10,000, a 20-year loan term, and a fixed 1% loan interest rate. A grant must be repaid if the property is sold within three years. USDA also lists a $15,000 grant limit for a qualifying home damaged in a Presidentially declared disaster area. Use the USDA eligibility map and then contact USDA state offices.

Our USDA Section 504 guide explains this route in more detail.

Weatherization and energy-related repairs

The Department of Energy’s weatherization application page says households at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, or households receiving Supplemental Security Income, are considered eligible under DOE guidelines. A state may instead use the LIHEAP standard of 60% of state median income. Older adults are among the priority groups. Homeowners and renters can apply, but renters generally need landlord permission before work begins.

Weatherization is not general remodeling. A local energy audit determines which efficiency and health-or-safety measures qualify, and waitlists are common.

The LIHEAP fact sheet says states, territories, and Tribes may use LIHEAP for energy bills, crisis help, weatherization, or minor energy-related home repairs. Use the LIHEAP office finder because benefits and income rules vary locally.

DOE’s home rebate status page also tracks Home Energy Rebates that are available in select states, territories, and Tribal programs. These rebates are separate from the federal tax credits that ended after 2025. The IRS energy-credit FAQ confirms the 2025 end date for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit.

HUD repair financing

When grants are not available, federal mortgage-insurance programs may help finance repairs. HUD’s Title I program insures private-lender property-improvement loans. HUD lists up to $25,000 for a single-family home; these are fixed-rate loans at market rates, not grants.

HUD’s 203(k) program can roll rehabilitation costs into an FHA-insured mortgage. The Limited 203(k) program currently allows up to $75,000 for eligible repair and improvement costs; the Standard 203(k) is for larger rehabilitation projects. These paths require lender approval and repayment.

FEMA and disaster repair help

FEMA home repair assistance is only for disaster-caused damage to an owner-occupied primary residence in a declared disaster. It is meant to help make the home safe, sanitary, functional, and accessible. It does not pay for ordinary aging repairs or restore every damaged item to its pre-disaster condition. See the FEMA IHP fact sheet.

Start at the federal disaster portal for a current declaration and application route. File required insurance claims, keep photos and receipts, and do not assume FEMA will duplicate insurance payments.

Veterans and disability-related modifications

Some repair needs are really accessibility or medical modification needs. VA’s disability housing grants can help eligible Veterans and service members with qualifying service-connected disabilities adapt a home. For FY 2026, VA lists up to $126,526 for Specially Adapted Housing and up to $25,350 for Special Home Adaptation grants.

VA’s HISA benefit may pay for medically necessary structural changes such as ramps, roll-in showers, and plumbing or electrical changes needed for medical equipment. The lifetime benefit is $6,800 for certain qualifying categories and $2,000 for other eligible disabilities.

Medicaid rules vary by state. Some Home and Community-Based Services waivers may include environmental or accessibility modifications for people who meet the state program’s functional and financial rules. The federal HCBS waiver page explains the state-waiver structure, but your state Medicaid office decides what is covered.

Nonprofit and community repair help

Local nonprofits can sometimes fill gaps that government programs do not cover. Rebuilding Together affiliates provide repair help in many communities, but service areas and application rules differ. Habitat for Humanity’s Aging in Place program works through local affiliates on critical repairs and modifications for older adults in participating communities.

If those programs are not in your area, our charities helping seniors guide can help you look for community organizations, churches, veteran groups, and other local sources.

Match the Repair to the Right Help

Calling the right program first saves time. If you are unsure whether a repair is usually covered, use our covered repair guide.

For a roof problem, our roof repair help guide goes deeper. For electrical hazards, use our home rewiring help guide.

Can Renters Get Repair Help?

Renters usually cannot use owner-occupied repair grants because they do not own the property. But renters still have useful routes. Weatherization accepts renters, although the provider normally works with the landlord for permission. LIHEAP may help with energy bills or energy-related crisis services when the household qualifies.

For landlord repairs, report the problem in writing and keep a copy. If a serious health or safety problem is not fixed, contact code enforcement, tenant help, or legal aid. Use the Legal Services Corporation legal aid finder; if the home may be unsafe to rent, see our housing and rent help guide.

Documents to Gather Before You Apply

• Photo ID and proof of age if an age rule applies.
• Deed, tax bill, mortgage statement, or other ownership proof.
• Lease if you rent and the program accepts renters.
• Social Security, pension, wage, or other household income proof.
• Recent utility bills for energy programs.
• Photos of the repair problem.
• Code notice, inspection report, or medical note when relevant.
• Contractor estimates if the program asks for them.
• Insurance claim, settlement, denial, or disaster paperwork for storm damage.

If ownership is unclear because of heirs’ property, probate, a deceased spouse, or an old deed, ask the program exactly what proof it accepts before paying for legal work.

How to Start Without Wasting Time

1. Describe the hazard. “Unsafe wiring” is more useful than “I need home improvement money.”
2. Ask whether applications are open. If funds are closed, ask about a waiting list, next funding round, or emergency referral.
3. Ask before starting work. Many programs will not pay for work begun before approval.
4. Get the document list first. Do not make five trips when one office can tell you what is missing.
5. Ask how payment works. Find out whether the program pays you, pays the contractor, reimburses you, or uses a loan.
6. Ask about liens and repayment. Get the rule in writing before you sign.
7. Keep a call log. Write down the date, office, person, phone number, and next step.

If you are juggling repair costs with food, utilities, medical bills, or debt, our broader financial assistance guide can help you look beyond the repair itself.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Searching only for “free grants.” You may miss weatherization, nonprofit work, deferred loans, or contractor-paid programs.
• Starting repairs too early. Get written program approval when required.
• Assuming a national organization serves every county. Local affiliate coverage matters.
• Ignoring ownership problems. Title or heirs’ property issues can stop an application.
• Not filing insurance first after a disaster. Disaster programs may need insurance information and cannot duplicate covered losses.
• Signing financing you do not understand. A fast repair is not worth putting the home at risk through unclear loan terms.

Phone Scripts You Can Use

If you still have a very specific question about eligibility, repair types, renters, denials, or scams, use our 50 home repair questions guide. For a program-by-program national starting plan, return to the main home repair grants guide.