A broken lock. A step that wobbles. A bathroom that’s no longer safe to use. If you’re 60 or older in North Carolina, there may be help to fix it.
North Carolina’s Housing and Home Improvement program helps pay for minor repairs and safety changes that allow older adults to remain in their homes. The program can cover up to $7,000 per eligible person per program year, and renters can qualify too.
There’s also a temporary program called Choosing Home that may provide up to $20,000 per household. Its funding period ends December 31, 2026, so it’s worth asking about now.
Here’s what to know about both programs.
What Does Housing and Home Improvement Cover?
North Carolina’s Housing and Home Improvement Assistance program helps older adults with repairs and improvements that make their homes safer and easier to live in.
The program has four categories of assistance:
- Security improvements: Better locks, doors and other changes that improve home security.
- Minor home repairs: Small repairs that help keep the home safe and functional.
- Mobility and accessibility: Ramps, grab bars and other improvements that make it easier to move around the home.
- Furniture and appliances: Repairing, replacing or purchasing basic household furnishings and appliances.
Each local provider decides which categories of assistance it offers. That means a repair covered in one county may not be available in another.
The regular program cannot pay for rent, utility bills, food, medicine, deposits, taxes or repairs that are the landlord’s responsibility.
Who Qualifies?
To qualify for North Carolina’s regular Housing and Home Improvement program, you must meet all three requirements:
- Be 60 years old or older.
- Have no one who is able and willing to perform the needed work for you.
- Live in a county where Housing and Home Improvement services receive funding through the Home and Community Care Block Grant.
Both homeowners and renters may qualify.
If you rent, you’ll need written permission from your landlord before approved repairs or modifications can be made.
Meeting these requirements doesn’t guarantee assistance. Your local provider must also have funding available and determine whether the work qualifies.
How Much Can I Get?
The regular Housing and Home Improvement program allows up to $7,000 per eligible person per program year for approved services.
This is a spending limit, not a cash grant. The program pays for qualifying repairs, improvements or other approved services rather than giving you $7,000 to spend yourself.
The amount of help you receive depends on the work needed, the services your local provider offers and available funding.
Local providers may also ask participants to make voluntary contributions toward regular program services.
If your repair costs more than the program can cover, ask whether your provider works with other organizations that might help.
What Is the Choosing Home Program?
North Carolina also has a temporary housing assistance program called Choosing Home.
Choosing Home uses State Fiscal Recovery Funds to help vulnerable adults age 60 and older remain in their homes or other home-based living arrangements.
It operates through Area Agencies on Aging and participating local organizations, but it has different funding rules from the regular Housing and Home Improvement program.
How Much Does Choosing Home Provide?
Choosing Home allows up to $20,000 per eligible household for approved assistance.
Depending on the household’s circumstances and the services available locally, that assistance may include:
- Home repairs and improvements
- Safety and accessibility modifications
- Certain housing expenses that help prevent homelessness
- Past-due utility bills
- Other eligible housing-related needs
Unlike the regular Housing and Home Improvement program, Choosing Home can cover certain housing and utility expenses.
Choosing Home also does not require providers to request financial contributions from participants.
However, the $20,000 figure is a maximum spending limit, not a guaranteed payment.
Who Qualifies for Choosing Home?
Choosing Home serves eligible adults age 60 and older with housing-related needs that affect their ability to remain in a home-based setting.
One important difference is that you do not have to live in a county that receives regular Housing and Home Improvement funding to be considered for Choosing Home.
That means you may still have an option even if your county doesn’t offer the regular $7,000 program.
However, Choosing Home assistance depends on participating organizations, local eligibility assessments and remaining funds.
When Does Choosing Home End?
Choosing Home’s authorized service period ends December 31, 2026.
That date refers to when services can be funded under the program. It is not a confirmed statewide application deadline.
Because the program is temporary and the end of its funding period is approaching, some local providers may already have committed their available money.
If you need help, contact your Area Agency on Aging as soon as possible and ask whether Choosing Home is still accepting requests in your area.
You can also ask which local organization administers the program and whether any funds remain.
How Do I Apply?
Start by contacting the Housing and Home Improvement provider in your county.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services maintains information about the program and local service providers.
You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging and ask about both Housing and Home Improvement and Choosing Home.
When you reach someone, explain what needs to be repaired and why the problem makes it difficult or unsafe to remain in your home.
Ask these questions:
- Does my county currently offer Housing and Home Improvement assistance?
- What repairs or improvements are covered?
- Is there funding available for new requests?
- Does my area have a Choosing Home provider?
- Is Choosing Home still accepting requests?
- What documents or landlord permissions will I need?
If your county’s regular program is full, ask whether there’s a waiting list or another local organization that can help.
And if your county doesn’t fund the regular program, still ask about Choosing Home. Its geographic eligibility rules are different.
Relief Recap
North Carolina’s Housing and Home Improvement program may help adults age 60 and older pay for minor home repairs, security improvements, accessibility changes and basic household furnishings or appliances.
The regular program can spend up to $7,000 per eligible person per program year, depending on local funding and approved services. Both homeowners and renters may qualify, although renters need written landlord permission.
There’s also temporary Choosing Home assistance of up to $20,000 per eligible household, which can cover certain additional housing expenses, including past-due utilities. Its authorized service period ends December 31, 2026, and current availability must be confirmed locally.
If you need help, start with the NCDHHS Housing and Home Improvement page or contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
Even if the regular program isn’t funded in your county, ask whether Choosing Home or another local repair program can help you stay safely in your home.
