Last updated: July 27, 2026
If the home is unsafe now: Leave the area and call 911 for fire, gas odor, sparking wires, a possible collapse, or another immediate threat. Call the utility emergency line for a suspected gas or electrical problem. A local repair application is not emergency response and may take weeks or months.
Bottom line: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program money can support local home repair programs, but homeowners usually do not apply to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Start with the housing, community development, neighborhood services, or rehabilitation office that serves the address. Ask whether intake is open, what type of assistance is offered, and whether a lien or repayment rule applies.
CDBG and HOME are federal funding sources. They are not one nationwide repair grant with one application, one income chart, or one award amount. A city may use CDBG for emergency repairs. A county may use HOME for full rehabilitation. Another community may spend both programs on different housing needs and offer no owner-occupied repair intake that year.
Quick Reference
| Funding source | Who receives federal funds | Possible homeowner use | Main reality check |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDBG | States, eligible cities, and eligible counties | Emergency repair, code correction, accessibility work, system replacement, or larger rehabilitation when the local plan includes it | HUD does not give CDBG repair money directly to homeowners. The local grantee chooses activities, rules, and funding levels. |
| HOME | States and local participating jurisdictions | Rehabilitation of housing owned and occupied by a low-income homeowner | The local jurisdiction may not run an owner-occupied repair program. Property standards, value limits, and written agreements can make the process more detailed. |
| Local funding mix | City, county, state, nonprofit, or housing agency | A program may combine CDBG, HOME, state, utility, bond, philanthropic, or other funds | The program name alone may not show which rules apply. Ask for the written assistance terms. |
Start With the Office Serving Your Address
HUD states that CDBG assistance is local. HUD sends formula grants to governments. The city, county, or state decides which eligible activities to fund. The office that serves your address may be called housing rehabilitation, community development, neighborhood services, housing and human services, or planning.
- Search the correct government site. Use the city or county website and search for “owner-occupied rehabilitation,” “home repair,” “housing rehabilitation,” “emergency repair,” “CDBG repair,” and “HOME rehabilitation.” Our local program search guide gives a step-by-step method.
- Check both city and county coverage. A city may run its own program, while unincorporated areas and smaller towns use the county or state. Ask which office covers the exact street address.
- Read the current Annual Action Plan. HUD’s public plan lookup can show a grantee’s Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and performance reports. Search the document for “owner-occupied,” “rehabilitation,” “emergency repair,” “minor repair,” or “housing repair.” A budget line shows planned spending, not a promise that homeowner intake is open.
- Use HUD tools if the office is unclear. CPD Maps can help identify HUD community-development grantees. If local officials cannot direct you, use the HUD office directory.
- Call before sending private documents. Confirm the official application page, intake status, service area, benefit type, and current income chart.
Phone script: “I own and live in a home at [address]. I need help with [repair]. Does your office have an open owner-occupied repair or rehabilitation program funded by CDBG, HOME, or another source? What type of assistance is it, and where is the official application?”
CDBG and HOME Are Funding Sources, Not One National Grant
How CDBG may support repairs
The Community Development Block Grant program gives annual formula grants to states, cities, and counties. HUD lists rehabilitation of residential structures as an eligible activity. At least 70% of a grantee’s funds over its chosen one-, two-, or three-year period must benefit low- and moderate-income people.
A local government may fund emergency repair, accessibility changes, code correction, lead work, or whole-house rehabilitation. It may choose other CDBG activities instead. HUD’s planning overview explains how local plans set needs, projects, and budgets.
Type of help: CDBG is a grant to a government, but homeowner assistance may be a grant, repair service, deferred loan, forgivable loan, or zero-interest loan.
How HOME may support repairs
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program sends formula funds to states and local participating jurisdictions for affordable housing. Assistance may be provided through grants, loans, loan guarantees, or other approved forms, sometimes through a local agency or nonprofit.
Owner-occupied rehabilitation is an eligible HOME activity when the household is low income, the home is the principal residence, and the project meets program requirements. HUD’s HOME program page describes the federal framework. The local jurisdiction decides whether to offer homeowner rehabilitation.
HUD’s HOME questions page says qualifying ownership for rehabilitation can include a life estate, inherited property, a living trust, or a beneficiary deed when the required conditions are met. HOME does not impose the same federal long-term affordability period on owner-occupied rehabilitation that applies to some other HOME activities. A local jurisdiction may still require continued occupancy, a lien, or repayment after sale or transfer.
Repairs That May Qualify
Each local program has its own repair list. Programs usually focus on health, safety, code, accessibility, or basic home systems rather than remodeling for appearance.
| Often considered | Often limited or excluded |
|---|---|
| Active roof leaks or failed roofing | Cosmetic upgrades with no health, safety, or code need |
| Unsafe electrical wiring or panels | Luxury materials or owner-selected upgrades above program standards |
| Failed plumbing, sewer, or water lines | Work started before written approval |
| Heating, cooling, or water-heater hazards | Repairs to a second home or investment property |
| Structural defects, floors, stairs, or foundations | Projects outside the service area |
| Wheelchair ramps, grab bars, or accessible bathrooms | Costs above the local cap when no other funding can cover the gap |
| Lead-hazard control and code correction | Conditions caused by an unapproved addition that cannot be permitted |
Do not start the repair early. Federal environmental review, inspection, cost approval, lead rules, bidding, or contractor selection may have to occur first. Paying a contractor or signing a construction contract before the program gives written approval can make the cost ineligible.
Homes built before 1978 may require lead-safe procedures. EPA advises homeowners to use a lead-safe certified contractor when work may disturb lead-based paint. A local federally funded program may require testing, safe work practices, clearance, and additional documentation.
Income, Occupancy, and Ownership Rules
There is no single national dollar limit for every CDBG or HOME repair program. Limits vary by metropolitan area or nonmetropolitan county and by household size. The local office must tell you which chart, percentage, and income-counting method it uses.
- Owner occupancy: You usually must own and live in the home as your principal residence.
- Household income: HOME rehabilitation generally serves households at or below 80% of area median income. Many CDBG homeowner programs also use low- and moderate-income limits, though CDBG can meet other national objectives in limited cases.
- Eligible location: The home must be inside the program’s city, county, neighborhood, or state service area.
- Eligible property: A single-family home is common. Some programs allow manufactured homes, condominiums, or small owner-occupied multi-unit properties; others do not.
- Clear enough ownership: The office must be able to confirm a qualifying ownership interest. Heir property or a trust is not always an automatic denial, but extra proof may be required.
- Property obligations: Taxes, mortgage, utilities, insurance, and code issues may need to be current or covered by an approved payment plan.
- Not automatic: Meeting an income limit does not guarantee approval. The repair must qualify, funds must be available, and the property must pass review.
Use HUD’s income-limit database only as a starting point. HOME has a separate income dataset. Ask the local office to send its current chart and answer these questions:
- What is the maximum gross income for my household size?
- Which people count as household members?
- Which wages, benefits, pensions, assets, and irregular payments count?
- What date and program year are printed on the chart?
- Will the office project annual income from current pay stubs or use a tax return?
HOME-assisted owner-occupied rehabilitation can also be subject to a maximum after-rehabilitation property value. HUD’s current national file is the 2025 HOME value limits, effective December 1, 2025, and those limits remain in effect until HUD issues new ones. A participating jurisdiction may use an approved locally determined limit. The program, not the homeowner, should explain which value limit applies and how value will be documented.
Real Local Programs Show Why Details Differ
These examples show why you must read the local page and written agreement.
| Local example | Repairs and assistance type | Current intake details checked July 27, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, Arizona | The city’s Housing Repairs Program covers problems such as faulty electrical panels, broken air conditioners, defective plumbing, and damaged structures. Phoenix calls it a no-cost, no-payment, fully forgivable deferred-loan program. | The city directs households to an online assessment form and publishes local income limits effective June 1, 2026. The listed program phone is 602-534-4444. The page does not state one universal award cap, so applicants should ask what limit applies to their repair. |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | The Basic Systems Repair Program provides a free repair service for qualifying electrical, plumbing, heating, limited structural or carpentry, and roofing emergencies. | Applicants start through One Philly Front Door. People who cannot apply online may call 215-448-2160. The current page requires owner occupancy, no other residential property, tax and water compliance or a payment agreement, and gross household income within its published limits. |
A local program with “HOME” in its name does not necessarily use federal HOME funds, and a program funded with CDBG may use a name that never mentions CDBG. Ask, “What funding source and written assistance agreement apply to my case?” The answer affects income rules, inspections, liens, repayment, and appeal steps.
Grant, Loan, Deferred Loan, or Forgivable Loan?
Read the note, mortgage, deed restriction, covenant, and program agreement to see what happens after a sale, refinance, title transfer, rental, move, or death.
| Assistance type | What it usually means | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Grant | No routine repayment if all program terms are met. Some grants still have a short occupancy or resale condition. | “Can any event make this grant repayable?” |
| Repair service | The program hires or assigns contractors and pays approved costs. The homeowner may not receive cash. | “Who selects, supervises, and pays the contractor?” |
| Deferred-payment loan | No monthly payment now, but the balance may become due after sale, transfer, refinance, rental, or loss of owner occupancy. | “When does the full balance become due?” |
| Forgivable loan | A balance is reduced over time if conditions are met. Leaving early may require partial or full repayment. | “How much is forgiven each year, and what stops forgiveness?” |
| Amortizing loan | Regular monthly payments are required, sometimes at low or zero interest. | “What are the payment, term, interest rate, fees, and total cost?” |
Phone script: “Before I apply, please tell me whether the assistance is a grant, repair service, deferred loan, forgivable loan, or monthly-payment loan. Will a lien be recorded? What happens if I sell, refinance, transfer the home, rent it, or move out?”
For a plain-language review of liens and financing risks, see our repair loan safety guide.
Documents to Gather
Confirm the official office and secure submission method before sending private records. A typical application may request:
- Government-issued identification for adult household members
- Deed, life-estate papers, trust papers, probate documents, or other proof of ownership
- Recent pay stubs, benefit letters, pension statements, tax returns, and asset records
- Mortgage statement and proof of an approved payment plan if behind
- Property-tax and utility status
- Homeowners insurance, if required
- Photos, code notices, utility shutoff or defect notices, and repair estimates if the program requests them
- Manufactured-home title and land-ownership or lease papers when applicable
- Disability-related documentation only when needed for an accommodation or accessibility request
Use our repair document checklist to organize copies. Keep originals unless the office specifically requires one. Save every confirmation number, upload receipt, email, inspection report, and signed document.
Title problems: If a deceased relative remains on the deed, several heirs own the property, or a divorce or trust changed ownership, ask whether the program accepts alternative proof while title is being cleared. Do not assume heir property is automatically ineligible.
What Happens After You Apply
The exact order varies, but many local programs use these steps:
- Intake: Staff check the address, repair, household, income, ownership, and documents.
- Verification: The office reviews taxes, mortgage status, liens, insurance, and title.
- Inspection: An inspector decides which defects and costs are eligible.
- Federal review: Environmental and lead steps may be required before construction.
- Contractor process: The program may obtain bids, set standards, and approve costs.
- Agreement: The homeowner signs the scope, assistance terms, occupancy promises, and any lien papers.
- Construction: Permits, inspections, change orders, final approval, and contractor payment follow local rules.
Many programs pay the contractor after inspections rather than giving cash to the homeowner. Follow the office’s written process in our application guide.
Ask about temporary relocation. Full rehabilitation, lead work, plumbing shutdowns, or structural repairs may make the home unsafe to occupy. Confirm in writing whether the program pays any moving, storage, hotel, accessibility, pet, or return costs. Do not assume it does.
Why Applications Are Delayed or Denied
- The program is out of funds, has a waitlist, or accepts applications only during a short intake period.
- The home is outside the grantee’s service area.
- Household income is over the current limit or documentation is incomplete.
- The applicant does not have a qualifying ownership interest or title cannot be verified.
- Property taxes, mortgage, utilities, insurance, or another lien issue does not meet local rules.
- The requested work is cosmetic, already completed, over the cap, or not allowed by the funding source.
- The home needs more work than the program can safely or legally fund.
- An unpermitted addition, zoning problem, floodplain issue, environmental condition, or lead requirement stops the project.
- The homeowner hired a contractor or started work before approval.
- The applicant missed a letter, inspection, deadline, recertification, or request for documents.
If denied, ask for the decision and reason in writing. Request the rule, policy, or checklist used. Correct factual errors and send missing documents before the stated deadline. Ask whether there is reconsideration, an informal review, a grievance process, a reasonable accommodation, or a new intake period.
CDBG grantees must provide access to information and a process for timely written responses to written complaints and grievances. That does not guarantee a repair award, but it gives residents a way to ask how the local plan and written rules were applied. Our denial response guide explains how to organize the next steps.
Phone script: “Please send the denial or delay reason in writing and identify the program rule. Is there a deadline to submit missing proof, request review, ask for an accommodation, or apply again?”
Backup Options When Local Funds Are Closed
Do not wait on one list only. Match the repair to other programs while keeping the CDBG or HOME application active.
- Energy and health work: The Department of Energy explains how to apply through a state and local provider for the Weatherization Assistance Program. This is a weatherization service, not a general remodeling grant. It may include an energy audit, approved efficiency measures, and related health or safety work.
- Rural repairs: USDA Rural Development offers Section 504 loans to very-low-income rural homeowners and grants to qualifying homeowners age 62 or older for health and safety hazards. Review our rural repair guide and confirm state status through USDA housing programs.
- Disaster damage: Regular CDBG is different from CDBG Disaster Recovery. CDBG-DR exists only after Congress provides disaster funding and HUD allocates it. Check FEMA, the state, and local recovery office for the specific disaster.
- Housing counseling: A HUD-approved housing counselor may help with mortgage trouble, budgeting, repair financing questions, and local referrals. Call 1-800-569-4287 or use HUD’s housing counseling page.
- Local referrals: Call 211 and ask for owner-occupied repair, aging-in-place, disability modification, community action, veteran, nonprofit, and emergency housing programs. Verify each referral with the actual provider.
- General government search: USAGov’s home repair assistance page lists official routes and warns against “free government money” claims.
Scam and Unsafe Financing Warnings
- Do not pay someone to “release” a CDBG or HOME grant.
- Do not trust a social-media message, robocall, or ad that promises guaranteed government repair money.
- Do not give private documents to a person whose office, domain, phone number, and application page you have not verified.
- Do not sign blank forms, transfer a deed, or accept contractor-arranged financing without independent review.
- Do not pay a contractor because they claim the city will reimburse you later. Confirm the rule with program staff in writing.
- Do not confuse an eligible CDBG activity with a funded local program. Federal eligibility does not mean money is available for your house.
The Federal Trade Commission’s contractor scam guidance warns about pressure, full payment up front, cash-only demands, and a contractor who pushes a loan through a lender they know. Also review our guide to grant and fee scams.
Your Next Three Steps
- Identify the serving office. Check city, county, and state housing or community-development pages for the exact address.
- Confirm five facts before applying. Ask whether intake is open, which repairs qualify, the current income limit, the assistance type, and whether a lien or repayment condition applies.
- Submit a complete file and keep a backup path. Save proof of submission, respond to every request, and apply to weatherization, USDA, nonprofit, aging, disability, veteran, or disaster programs when appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CDBG a home repair grant I can apply for at HUD?
No. HUD gives CDBG funds to eligible states, cities, and counties. A local government decides whether to run a homeowner repair program and how to structure the help. Apply through the office serving the property address, not through a national HUD homeowner application.
Is HOME the same as a local program called H.O.M.E.?
Not always. HOME Investment Partnerships is a federal HUD program, but local agencies may use “HOME” or “H.O.M.E.” in a program name for other reasons. Ask which funding source and written rules apply to your application.
What income limit applies to my household?
The limit depends on the program, location, household size, and current HUD or local chart. HOME homeowner rehabilitation generally serves households at or below 80% of area median income. Ask the local office for the exact dollar limit, effective date, and income-counting method it will use.
Can heirs or people with a life estate qualify?
Possibly. HUD allows several ownership interests for HOME owner-occupied rehabilitation, including inherited property, life estates, living trusts, and beneficiary deeds when program conditions are met. The local office must verify ownership, income, and principal residence, and it may require extra legal documents.
Do I have to repay local repair assistance?
It depends. Assistance may be a grant, free repair service, deferred-payment loan, forgivable loan, or monthly-payment loan. Ask what lien is recorded and what happens after sale, transfer, refinance, rental, death, or a move from the home.
Can I hire my own contractor or start work now?
Usually not before written approval. The program may need an inspection, environmental review, lead review, approved scope, bids, permits, and an eligible contractor. Starting or paying for work early can make the cost ineligible.
About This Guide
How we researched this page: We checked official federal, state, local, tribal, utility, and trusted nonprofit sources linked in this article. We reviewed program names, service areas, eligibility rules, application routes, contact details, and whether each option is a grant, loan, rebate, service, or referral.
Our role: HomeRepairGrants.org is an independent information website. We do not run these programs, accept applications, choose recipients, or guarantee funding or approval.
Local changes: Funding, waitlists, service areas, income limits, and application periods can change. Confirm current details with the organization that runs the program before you apply, sign papers, pay money, or start repair work.
Corrections: See something outdated or incorrect? Email info@homerepairgrants.org and include the page URL and a reliable source when possible.
Disclaimer: This guide provides general information. It is not legal, financial, tax, insurance, medical, disability-rights, contractor, or government-agency advice.
Last verified: July 27, 2026 | Next review: October 27, 2026