If you own your home in Colonial Heights, Virginia, and something’s wrong that puts your safety at risk, the city has a grant that can help. It’s funded through a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and the city has run it since 2005.
Applications for the 2026 program year are open now, through August 31, 2026.
What Does This Grant Cover?
The program targets conditions that threaten a resident’s health or safety, not general upkeep. Covered repairs include:
- Faulty roofs and missing gutters
- Porches or steps that pose a safety risk
- Unsafe electrical, heating, or plumbing systems
- Security issues, like broken locks or missing floodlights
- Broken windows or doors that won’t secure
- Damaged or deteriorating flooring
- Bathroom modifications for residents with disabilities, like grab bars or raised toilets
Every home that receives a grant also gets tested for lead-based paint.
Just remember that cosmetic upgrades don’t qualify, and neither do repairs to sheds, garages, or anything not attached to the main living space.
Who Gets Priority?
This grant is open citywide, but the city gives priority to:
- Households in the Violet Bank-Flora Hill, Shepherd Stadium, Westover-Snead, or Toll House neighborhoods
- First-time applicants
- Households that are elderly, low income, or include someone with a disability
- Repairs that count as an emergency
The main program is built for owner-occupied, single-family homes, though the city’s page also notes that renters with a documented legal disability may be eligible. If you’re a renter and think you might qualify, it’s worth calling to confirm.
Who Is Eligible?
Your household income has to be at or below 80% of the area median income for the Richmond metro area. The exact dollar limits change based on household size and get updated periodically, so rather than rely on an old chart, check the current year’s guidelines directly through the city’s Home Repair Grant Program page.
How Do I Apply?
You can print an application or submit one online. Either way, your application isn’t considered complete until the Planning Department has received every piece of required documentation.
Since the application window closes August 31, don’t wait to get started.
Relief Recap
Nobody should have to live with an unsafe roof or exposed wiring because a repair feels out of reach. Colonial Heights built this program to close that gap, and the window to apply this year is short. If you think you qualify, reach out to the Planning Department now rather than waiting and check out the other Virginia home improvement programs we’ve found.
