Free Home Repair Grants for Low Income Americans

Free home repair grants can help low income homeowners stay safe, happy and healthy in their homes. With the skyrocketing cost of housing, it’s more important than ever to know how to get help with your home repairs when you need it.

Because there is so much overlap between free home repair grants and free disability modification grants, we are going to include both of those services in this list. After 10 years of researching low income programs, we’ve found that the organizations who offer one of those services typically offer the other as well.

In this article, we will break down all the government and nonprofit organizations that can provide you with free home repair grants or free disability modifications. We’ll review the organizations that exist nationwide and those that exist in your local area as well.

Please note that the free home repair grants in this article typically will not give you cash directly. However, they will pay the companies or workers who o not pay cash to you directly; however, they will provide a free home repair grant that is paid directly to the workers who complete those repairs.

Free Home Repair Grants Nationwide

There are some organizations and government agencies that are known to provide free home repair grants and services nationwide. The services and details may vary by location, so it’s important to always check with your local office for details.

Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together is a nationwide organization that assists with free home repair services. Their goal is to help people in need while also revitalizing communities. This organization completes thousands of repair projects every year from coast to coast. It’s a wonderful mission and they’ve been working hard since 1973 to make it happen.

All of their repairs are coordinated by local affiliate agencies. They have affiliates in 37 different states that screen applications and complete these repairs.

In order to get free home repair services from this organization you will need to apply with your local affiliate. You can find your affiliate on the Rebuilding Together website.

Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity sometimes coordinates Home Preservation services. These services include basic home repairs like painting, landscaping, weatherization and other minor repairs.

These services may or may not be free depending on your location. In many areas, Habitat for Humanity keeps the costs low by using donated materials and volunteer labor. However, homeowners are sometimes expected to cover the marginal cost by obtaining an affordable loan. The payments on those loans are used to fund other Home Preservation projects for other low income people in need of home repair services.

In order to see if you can get home repair services from Habitat for Humanity, you will need to contact your local office.

Meals on Wheels

In some areas, Meals on Wheels offers free home repair services. If you live in the following areas, you may be able to get help from this organization:

• Atlanta, Georgia
• Austin, Texas
• Central Maryland

Most Meals on Wheels locations do not offer (or at least do not advertise) free home repair services but some do! It’s always worth asking if you need help. Even if your local Meals on Wheels office doesn’t offer this service, they may know of additional opportunities in your area.

Area Agency on Aging

Your local Area Agency on Aging coordinates services that help low income seniors and people with disabilities in your area. If you need help with free home repair or disability modification grants, it’s always a good idea to contact your Area Agency on Aging for referrals.

There are over 3,000 AAAs around the country. However, you can always call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 to reach the US Administration on Aging. They can help you find your nearest office and identify any other resources in your area.

Local Governments

Often, city and county governments also offer free home repair grants for local residents. There are many reasons that these governments are motivated to offer this service, including the fact that well-maintained homes boost property values, stabilize communities, and provide economic and environmental benefits.

To see what local home repair grants are available to you, be sure to select your state from the alphabetical list at the end of this article. We’ve spent a lot of time researching all 50 states to find all of the different repair programs across America.

Get DIY Home Repair Assistance

If you don’t have time to apply for free home repair grants and you don’t have the money to hire an expert, the home repair technicians at HomeFix may be able to help you!

They’re like your friendly next-door neighbors who just happen to be home improvement wizards. Whether you’re dealing with a leaky faucet, a wonky electrical outlet, or you want to give that old guest room a fresh coat of paint, they’ve got you covered.

You can message a HomeFix repair technician any time! Experts are standing by. Start now!

Government Programs that Offer Free Home Repair Services

There are many government programs that can help you get free home repair services.

Home Improvements & Structural Alternations Grants

The Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) Grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is available for veterans who are registered in the VA healthcare system and have a prescription from a VA physician stating that specific alterations or repairs are necessary for the treatment of their disability.

This free home repair grant is worth up to $6,800. The grant can be used to widen doorways, modify bathrooms, lower counters, install ramps, improve pluming or electrical systems, or improve entrances and driveways.

Veterans should apply for this grant through their local VA medical center. Additional criteria may apply.

Housing Improvement Program

The Housing Improvement Program can provide free home repair services to eligible members of American Indian tribes or Alaska Natives. This program has strict eligibility requirements and is only available in specific areas.

In order to be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a member of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or an Alaska native.
• Your home must be located in an approved tribal service area.
• You must have a household income that does not exceed 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The Housing Improvement Program is administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In order to apply, you will need to contact your nearest BIA Regional Office.

Section 504 Home Repair Grants & Loans

The Section 504 Home Repair program helps low income homeowners repair and improve their homes. The goal of this program is to remove any health or safety hazards.

This program offers both loans and free home repair grants, depending on what you are eligible for. The maximum grant amount is $10,000, but you can receive up to $40,000 from a loan. That means the maximum assistance from this program is $50,000 when you combine both grants and loans.

In order to be eligible for this program, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must live in a home that you own.
• Your home must be located in an eligible rural area.
• You must be unable to get a loan elsewhere.
• You must have a very low household income.
• You must be at least 62 years or older (for the grants).

You can apply for this program year-round at your local Rural Development office. You can find your local office on the USDA website.

Weatherization Assistance Program

The Weatherization Assistance Program is a nationwide program that helps low income homeowners and eligible renters improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The free home repair grants offered by this program can be used to add insulation, replace windows, install or improve heating systems or appliances and more. If you’re curious, you can read more about how this program provided $18,000 in free home repair services for my family!

In order to get help from the Weatherization Assistance Program, you usually need to contact your local Community Action Agency. That’s the same organization that administers LIHEAP and other helpful low income programs.

Free Home Repair Grants in Your State

The most accessible free home repair grants are usually administered on a local level by governments and agencies. As part of our series on low income homeownership, we have found many agencies that can provide home repair grants to help low income homeowners cope with unexpected and costly repairs.

To find more information about the free home repair grants available in your area, please choose your state from the alphabetical list below.

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware 
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Nevada
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• Washington, D.C.
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

Summary

There are many government programs and nonprofit organizations that offer free home repair grants for low income Americans. These include Rebuilding Together, Habitat for Humanity, the Weatherization Program, HISA for Veterans, and more. In this article, you can find a summary of each program, along with eligibility guidelines and application instructions.

This article was originally published in January 2018 but was fully rewritten and re-researched in June 2023.