Aug 26, 2024 Current Resources

3 Federal Grants For Home Repair

(TheDailyCurrents.com) – Homeowners struggling to repair their homes can get financial aid through federal grants. There are numerous grants to choose from, but they suit different people and communities. They also vary in their eligibility requirements. Here are 3 federal grants you can find for your home repairs.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Single Family Housing Repair Grants

This grant is also referred to as the Section 504 Home Repair Program. According to Rocket Mortgage, it’s a government-backed loan program overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA. It provides financial assistance to elderly homeowners, families below 50% of their local area’s median income, and people with disabilities. Beneficiaries can get up to $7,500 of this financial aid.

They can utilize this grant to repair and modernize their single-family homes to replace or fix crucial fixtures such as septic systems and foundations. Finally, beneficiaries can also use it to improve their home’s energy efficiency, make it more accessible, and remove any safety or health hazards.

The eligibility requirement for this grant include the following:

Must be living in a rural area
Must be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident
Must own and occupy the house
At least 18 years old or above
Unable to obtain credit from lenders

Eligible applicants can apply for this grant at USDA Rural Development offices.

V.A. Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) Grant

The Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.) provides this home repair grant to veterans and service members with permanent service-connected disabilities. It helps them modify their house to accommodate their disability or purchase a home with existing disability accommodations.

According to Benefits.Gov, there are two types of this grant, Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) and Specialty Adapted Housing grant (SAH) grant. In both grants, a Temporary Residence Adaptation grant (TRA) is available for veterans who will or are living temporarily in their relatives’ homes as they look for or modify their homes to meet their disability needs.

Eligible veterans should meet the following requirements to qualify for this grant:

Should have lost the use of their lower extremities and cannot move without using a wheelchair, canes, braces, and crutches
They should have incurred blindness in both eyes and can only have light perception plus loss of one of their lower extremities.
Should have lost or lost the use of one of the lower extremities and residual of injury or organic disease, or lost or lost the use of one of the upper extremities
Should have lost or lost the use of both upper extremities and cannot use both arms at or above the elbow
Incurred severe burn injuries

Should have lost or lost the use of one or more limbs while in services after September 11, 2011, and their balance or movement has been affected, and they cannot move without the aid of canes, wheelchairs, crutches, or braces.

Housing Improvement Program (HIP)

Benefits.gov describes Housing Improvement Program or HIP as a home repair grant to help Indians living in substandard or Indian-owned housing in approved tribal service areas. This grant is provided by federally-recognized Indian tribes and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

You must meet the following requirements to qualify for this program:

You’re a member of the Alaska Native or a recognized American Indian tribe
You’re living in an approved tribal service area
You have an income below 125% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHIS) poverty guidelines.

Other Federal Grants You Can Look Out for

Apart from the above three federal housing grants, you can seek financial aid for your home repair through the following federal grants:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grants
The Home Investment Partnership Program
Native American Housing Improvement Program
The Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
National Residential Improvement Association
Native American Housing Improvement Program
Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA)
Weatherization Assistance Program

These home repair assistance programs and repair grants are crucial for low-income American citizens. Anyone seeking financial assistance through them should check whether they’re eligible before applying. If you need clarification on your qualifications or need to know how to apply, you can contact a local agency to learn more.