Housing Assistance for Seniors in North Dakota (2026 Guide)

What Has Changed

ND Help for Homeowners is no longer an open application route. The HHS homeowner page says the state stopped accepting applications on September 4, 2026. If you are behind on a mortgage, taxes, insurance, or utilities, contact your mortgage servicer, 211, a housing counselor, Community Action, or another current program instead of relying on an older Homeowner Assistance Fund page.

This update also adds the current North Dakota Primary Residence Credit as a homeowner-cost option and keeps LIHEAP’s year-round application model and annual review rules visible.

Rent Crisis and Homelessness

If you are behind on rent, have a notice to leave, or are staying somewhere temporary, start before the situation becomes a court eviction. North Dakota’s Emergency Solutions Grant and North Dakota Homeless Grant money goes to local shelters and agencies, not directly to every household. The NDHFA homeless programs support shelter, homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, case management, and related services through funded providers.

Call 211 and ask which funded provider serves your ZIP code. You can also ask your regional Community Action agency. North Dakota has seven Community Action agencies covering all 53 counties, and their services can include housing, emergency assistance, energy help, and weatherization. Use the Community Action regions page to find the right office.

If you already received a 3-day notice, summons, or complaint, treat it as a legal problem too. The ND Courts eviction guide explains that a 3-day notice is not itself an eviction order and that the court process follows. Speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. Our North Dakota emergency guide can help you check other urgent bill and crisis routes at the same time.

Affordable Apartments and Housing Vouchers

There is no single North Dakota list that proves a senior apartment has an opening today. Use several searches, then call each property. The NDHFA rental finder lists properties that received state housing support, but NDHFA warns that the list does not prove current vacancies or voucher acceptance.

NDHFA also administers certain HUD rental assistance contracts for low-income, elderly, or disabled households in specified properties in Devils Lake, Fargo, and Grand Forks. Its NDHFA renter resources page says tenants in those assisted units generally pay 30% of adjusted monthly gross income and are placed on a waiting list after applying. Other qualifications also apply.

For the Housing Choice Voucher program, often called Section 8, apply through a local Public Housing Agency (PHA). HUD’s voucher guide says the program helps low-income households, older adults, veterans, and people with disabilities rent eligible private-market housing. Because demand is high, HUD advises applicants that they may need to apply to more than one PHA waitlist. Use the official PHA directory to find agencies serving North Dakota.

Rural residents can also search USDA rural rentals for government-assisted rural multifamily properties. For a deeper list of local housing-search steps, use our North Dakota apartment guide.

Help for Homeowners

Home repairs and safety hazards

For rural homeowners, USDA Section 504 is one of the strongest repair routes. The USDA Section 504 program provides repair loans to eligible low- and very-low-income homeowners and grants to very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older for health and safety hazards. USDA currently lists a maximum loan of $40,000 and a maximum grant of $10,000. The grant has a $10,000 lifetime limit and must be repaid if the property is sold in less than three years. Applications are accepted through local Rural Development offices, subject to funding and eligibility.

You must own and occupy the home, meet income rules, and live in an eligible rural area. Use USDA North Dakota to check contacts and location eligibility. For other repair routes and local options, see our North Dakota repair guide.

Heating, furnace, and weatherization help

North Dakota’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) accepts applications year-round. The official LIHEAP application page says assistance can help with heating costs, emergency energy needs, weatherization, furnace cleaning and repair, chimney inspection, and some cooling-device costs. Households now use an annual eligibility review cycle, so return review paperwork on time to avoid a gap in benefits.

The state weatherization program uses a 200% federal poverty guideline limit. For 2026, the posted maximum income is $31,920 for one person and $43,280 for two people. LIHEAP clients are automatically income-eligible for weatherization, although other program rules still apply.

Property tax help

The North Dakota Homestead credit may help homeowners age 65 or older and people who are permanently and totally disabled. For 2026, household income cannot exceed $70,000, and the state says there is no asset limit for homeowners. The official 2026 property-tax deadline page lists April 1 as the Homestead application due date, so that filing window has passed. Ask your local assessor what to prepare for the next application year.

North Dakota also offers a Primary Residence Credit of up to $1,600 for an approved primary residence. It has no age or income limit, but the 2026 application window has closed. A homeowner may be able to use more than one property-tax credit if rules are met and tax remains due. Our North Dakota tax guide explains these programs in more detail.

Disability, Veteran, and Tribal Housing Paths

If a disability makes it hard to remain at home or move from a nursing facility back into the community, ADRL can help you find home- and community-based services. North Dakota also uses housing facilitation under Money Follows the Person for some people with disabilities who are moving from institutional care to community housing. Start with ADRL and describe both the housing need and the support you need to live safely. Our disabled senior resources guide covers related North Dakota help.

Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness should tell 211, legal aid, and housing providers that they are veterans because veteran-specific programs may apply. Our North Dakota veteran benefits guide gives state and federal starting points.

American Indian seniors should also contact their tribal housing office. The federal BIA Housing Program can support repairs, renovations, replacement housing, or other housing help for eligible members of federally recognized tribes in approved service areas. It is a safety-net program with income, housing-condition, tribal-service-area, and other rules; it is not an entitlement.

Tenant Rights and Housing Discrimination

North Dakota’s Attorney General says a landlord cannot lock a tenant out, cut off utilities, or take the tenant’s belongings to force a move. Its tenant rights page also says month-to-month rent may be raised with written notice at least 30 days in advance. If a serious repair is not being made, put the request in writing, keep photos and messages, and ask legal aid about the safest legal next step.

If you believe you were denied housing, treated differently, or evicted because of unlawful discrimination, North Dakota’s housing discrimination office accepts housing complaints. The state says housing complaints generally must be filed no later than one year after the last alleged discriminatory act. If disability is involved, ask for a reasonable accommodation in writing and keep a copy.

How to Start Without Wasting Time

1. Call the office before traveling. Ask whether intake is open, whether an appointment is required, and what proof to bring.
2. Use the exact program name. Ask for a voucher waitlist, senior apartment application, LIHEAP, weatherization, repair assistance, tax credit, or eviction help.
3. Ask what happens next. Get the expected notice, interview, inspection, waitlist step, or follow-up date in writing when possible.
4. Keep a call log. Write down the date, office, person, phone number, and what they told you.
5. Update every housing list. If your phone, address, income, or household changes, report it as required so you are not removed for missing contact.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting until an eviction hearing before asking for legal help.
• Applying to only one apartment or voucher list.
• Assuming an online property directory means a unit is available.
• Missing annual review or recertification mail.
• Sending original documents when a copy is enough.
• Paying a private person who promises a guaranteed government housing grant.
• Using an old pandemic program page without checking whether applications are still accepted.

Local and Official Resources

• FirstLink 211: Housing crisis, shelter, rent, utilities, food, and local referrals. Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
• ADRL: Senior and disability services, home supports, transportation, caregiver help, and service navigation. Call 1-855-462-5465.
• Legal Services ND: Civil legal help for qualifying North Dakotans. Age 60+ line: 1-866-621-9886.
• Community Action: Regional housing, energy, weatherization, and emergency programs vary by location.
• Local PHA: Public housing and Housing Choice Voucher applications and waitlists.
• County assessor: Homestead and local property-tax questions.

Phone Scripts