If you’re a homeowner in Wilson County, North Carolina, and your home has a serious repair problem that’s putting your health or safety at risk, there’s a program that may be able to help.
The 2026 Urgent Repair Program provides up to $15,000 per project for qualifying urgent home repairs. Funding is limited, though: officials expect this round to assist approximately 10 Wilson County homeowners.
Applications are open now, but the deadline is coming quickly: September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
What Is the Urgent Repair Program?
The Urgent Repair Program, or URP, helps qualifying homeowners address serious housing conditions that threaten their health or safety.
The City of Wilson received $165,000 from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency for the 2026 funding cycle and is serving homeowners throughout Wilson County.
This isn’t a program for cosmetic renovations or upgrades. It’s intended for urgent repairs that make a home safer and more livable.
Examples may include:
- Leaking roofs
- Plumbing problems
- Heating and air-conditioning problems
- Unsafe flooring
- Accessibility-related repairs
- Other qualifying health and safety hazards
How Much Could I Get?
Eligible homeowners may receive up to $15,000 per project.
The assistance is structured as an interest-free, deferred and forgivable loan.
The loan is forgiven at a rate of $5,000 per year. That means a full $15,000 award would generally take three years to be completely forgiven, as long as the homeowner continues meeting the requirements of the loan.
You don’t automatically receive $15,000. The amount of assistance depends on the qualifying repairs needed and the program’s requirements.
Who Qualifies?
The program is intended for very-low-income homeowners with qualifying urgent repair needs.
Generally, applicants must:
- Own and occupy the home as their primary residence
- Have a home located in Wilson County
- Meet the program’s applicable income requirements
- Have an eligible urgent repair or health and safety need
- Meet the program’s applicable household requirements
For URP, household income is generally limited to 50% of the applicable area median income.
The program also serves households with qualifying special needs, including households with older adults, people with disabilities, veterans and certain families with young children exposed to lead hazards.
Wilson’s 2026 announcement also says applications are ranked using factors that include elderly or disabled household members, veterans, large families and single-parent households.
Because some of these factors affect how applications are prioritized rather than serving as standalone eligibility rules, applicants should confirm their specific eligibility with the City of Wilson.
Are There Other Restrictions?
Yes.
Urgent Repair Program funding has restrictions on when it can be combined with other housing assistance.
For example, URP funds generally can’t be combined with certain other state or federal housing assistance, including CDBG or HOME funds, for the same property. Other available or expected government housing assistance may also affect eligibility.
Because these rules can depend on the assistance already available for your home, tell the program about any other housing repair funding you’ve received, applied for or expect to receive.
How Are Applications Selected?
Submitting an application doesn’t guarantee assistance.
Funding for this round is limited, and the City of Wilson expects to assist approximately 10 homeowners.
Applications are evaluated and ranked according to program requirements and priority criteria. Wilson’s current schedule says applications are expected to be reviewed and ranked by October 23, 2026.
Because funding is limited, make sure your application is complete and includes the documentation the program requests.
How Do I Apply?
Applications are available through the City of Wilson Community Development Office.
You can contact or visit:
City of Wilson Community Development Office
112 N. Goldsboro Street
Wilson, NC
For information about the program, Wilson County currently lists these phone numbers:
252-399-2230
252-296-3034
The City of Wilson’s 2026 program announcement also lists Community Development Planner Aixa Gonzalez at:
252-399-2260
You can review the City of Wilson housing rehabilitation programs and the Wilson County housing repair assistance page for current program information.
Before submitting your application, make sure you have the documentation requested by the program, including information needed to verify your household, income, homeownership and repair needs.
When Is the Deadline?
Applications for the 2026 Urgent Repair Program must be submitted by:
September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
This is an official application deadline, not an estimated target date.
The current program schedule says applications will be reviewed and ranked by October 23, 2026, with repair work expected to be completed by December 31, 2027.
Is This Still Open Right Now?
Yes.
The City of Wilson announced that applications are being accepted for the 2026 Urgent Repair Program, with a September 30 deadline.
This is a new 2026 funding round. Older City of Wilson materials may show a previous URP application period as closed, so make sure you’re looking at information for the current 2026 round.
Relief Recap
If you own and live in a home in Wilson County and you’re dealing with an urgent repair that threatens your health or safety, the 2026 Urgent Repair Program may provide up to $15,000 toward qualifying repairs.
Funding is limited, and officials expect approximately 10 homeowners to receive assistance during this round.
Most importantly, don’t confuse this with an older closed application period. The current 2026 application deadline is September 30 at 5:00 p.m.
If you think you qualify, contact the City of Wilson Community Development Office as soon as possible to confirm your eligibility and get the current application materials.
