Home Repair Grants in Florida (2026 Guide)

Last updated: October 21, 2026

Bottom Line: Florida does not have one repair grant for all homeowners. For roof, wire, or pipe trouble, start with your city or county SHIP or housing repair office. For cooling, ask about weatherization.

Rural owners can try USDA. For storm protection, try My Safe Florida Home.

The right aid depends on your address, income, and repair. Help may be a grant, loan, service, or rebate. A loan may place a lien on your home, even with no monthly bill.

Here is where to start and what to ask. To look for more aid close to home, use our local repair program finder.

Which Florida program fits your repair?

SHIP repair help comes from counties and cities

SHIP means State Housing Initiatives Partnership. Florida Housing sends SHIP funds to counties and cities. Florida Housing does not take one statewide home repair application for every county. Each office sets its repair plan and intake dates.

Start with the official SHIP local contact finder. Check the city list first if you live inside city limits. If your city is not listed, choose your county. A county office may not serve your city.

Ask for home rehab, emergency repair, or access work. Plans may cover roof leaks, wires, pipes, septic work, and ramps. Some plans pay for a rebuild, but not cosmetic work.

The state’s local housing assistance plans show the types of help approved for each area. An approved plan does not mean intake is open. Ask about the waitlist and cap.

Local income rules often use a share of area median income, or AMI. Limits vary by county and household size. Ask for the latest chart. You may need a homestead, clear title, and tax and insurance records.

Real repair programs in Florida counties

These examples have different rules and service areas.

Hillsborough County

The Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program uses SHIP funds for health, safety, code, and access repairs. You need two years of homestead status and income below 80% AMI. Aid is an interest-free deferred loan with a mortgage and note. It may be forgiven in five to 15 years.

The county posted a new call for applicants in September 2026. It serves unincorporated Hillsborough, Plant City, and Temple Terrace. Call 813-635-1610 and check the application page before sending papers.

Orange County and Broward County

Orange County’s Housing Rehabilitation program lists help for life, safety, health, and code problems. Owners must have lived there for at least one year. Very-low-income rules apply.

It lists an online form. Call 407-836-5150 to ask about open funding and loan terms.

Broward County has homeowner repair programs with open pre-forms. They cover barrier-free work and minor repairs in set areas. Aid is a ten-year forgivable loan.

The minor repair track serves fewer cities. The page lists a limit of 80% AMI and phone contacts by last name.

Pinellas County and Miami-Dade County

The general Pinellas home repair program closed to new applications on May 4, 2026. The cap was $75,000 as a forgivable loan. You can call 727-464-8210 to ask for reopening notices. A separate storm program is still open.

Miami-Dade has a different path for small safety changes. Its older adult modification program lists a 2026–2027 waitlist and lottery for qualified people age 62 or older. It may cover grab bars, ramps, and lighting, not a roof. Call 786-469-4856 for the waitlist process.

My Safe Florida Home is for storm protection

Type of help: A free wind inspection for eligible homes. A matching or low-income grant may follow. This is not the same as SHIP or a general free-roof program.

The state-run My Safe Florida Home program lists applications as available in October 2026. Open a portal account and fill out the priority form. The program puts you in a group for an inspection. A free inspection does not mean you have a grant.

Most inspections require a site-built main home with a homestead exemption. Regular program rules exclude mobile homes, condos, rentals, and second homes. Townhome rules have been changing, so use the portal to check your exact property type.

For grants, the official program questions list more tests. The home must have an insured value of $700,000 or less and meet the pre-2008 construction rule. Only work on the inspection report counts, such as roof ties, deck fasteners, water barriers, or impact openings.

Matching grant: The state may pay $2 for each $1 you spend, up to $10,000 in state funds. Owners pay first, then seek repayment with a paid invoice. Low-income grant: Up to $10,000 may be available without a match or a paid-in-full invoice. Approval and funding still matter.

Weatherization and energy bill help

Florida’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) serves low-income households through local agencies. An energy check may lead to insulation, duct work, or air sealing. It is a service, not a cash grant for a kitchen or roof remodel.

Applications go through the local provider, not a single state online form. Find your county on the weatherization agency list. The income test is 200% of the poverty level.

Some high-need homes get priority. Have the local office check today’s income chart and waitlist.

Florida’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is mainly for energy bills and crisis costs. It is not a broad repair fund. The LIHEAP county provider list shows where to call or apply online.

Is someone at home at least 60? Ask about the elder energy crisis program, called EHEAP. A household needs a real heating or cooling emergency and must meet the income rule. Payments go to vendors, not as cash for repairs.

USDA repair loans and grants for rural owners

USDA Section 504 can help very-low-income owners in eligible rural areas. You must live there and lack affordable credit. The Florida USDA repair page lists year-round intake through local Rural Development offices.

USDA lists repair loans up to $40,000 at 1% fixed interest for up to 20 years. Grants can be up to $10,000. Owners must be at least 62 and need to fix safety hazards.

A loan and grant may be combined up to $50,000. A grant must be repaid if the home is sold within three years.

Ask the office to check your address on its rural map. Get the county income limit, too. A city mailing address may still be rural. Our Section 504 repair guide has more detail on loan papers and inspections.

What if a hurricane damaged your home?

Storm recovery is a different funding track from both local SHIP repair and My Safe Florida Home. It may cover a damaged home, a replacement unit, or certain past repair costs. The storm name, address, date, insurance payments, and local program all matter.

The statewide Rebuild Florida program served homes hit by Idalia, Debby, Helene, Milton, and the 2024 North Florida tornadoes. It closed to new applications on January 30, 2026. See the state application portal.

Existing applicants can still check a case with their worker or call 888-530-3025. Case help does not mean new intake.

Some large counties and cities run their own recovery programs. Pinellas County has a People First homeowner program. It takes cases for eligible homes hit by Idalia, Helene, or Milton.

Its page lists up to $375,000 for eligible repair, rebuild, or relocation. The home must be your main home. St. Petersburg is excluded.

Pinellas requires owners to stay for five years. A forgivable mortgage backs the aid. Other areas have their own terms. Check before work starts.

Insurance or FEMA aid can reduce a storm award for the same repair. Keep all claim letters, denial notices, contractor bills, permits, and photos. Ask about an appeal if denied. For more steps, read our roof repair assistance guide if the main loss is your roof.

Energy rebates, utilities, and other backup routes

The Florida Energy Saver portal describes planned discounts for approved energy upgrades. As checked on October 9, 2026, it still says applications are expected to open later. Signing up is not approval. Do not wait for unsafe repairs.

Your power company may offer an energy check. It may also give a rebate for approved AC, duct, or insulation work. Offers vary. Ask before work starts.

Help for older, disabled, and manufactured-home owners

The statewide Florida Elder Helpline is 1-800-963-5337. Ask for the aging and disability office serving your county. It can screen you for home safety or energy help. This is not a roof grant.

Need a ramp, safe bath, or wider door? Ask SHIP staff about barrier-free work. Do you get Medicaid long-term care or waiver aid?

Ask your case manager if a home change is covered. Our disability home modification guide explains the main paths.

Veterans with some service-connected needs can ask VA about home adaptation benefits. Other veterans may find help through local repair nonprofits. Ask what the program covers before you pay for a home change.

For a mobile home, tell the office if you own the unit and the land. Some local or storm programs allow these homes; others do not. My Safe Florida Home’s regular single-family path excludes them. Each home type has its own rules.

How to apply without costly mistakes

Our repair application checklist can help you keep one file for each program. Never give a caller your bank password. No one can promise grant approval.

Gather these papers first

• Photo ID, proof you live there, and deed or mobile-home title.
• Income proof for adults in the home, such as pay stubs or benefit letters.
• Tax, mortgage, homestead, and insurance records.
• Damage photos, code orders, estimates, and any open permit records.
• Storm claim letters, FEMA or SBA notices, and repair receipts if needed.

Inherited homes and life estates can be hard to review. Ask the agency what proof of ownership it accepts. Do not pay to change a deed due to a sales pitch. Ask the program first.

If you are denied, delayed, or asked to sign

A file may stop if funds run out. It may also stop for high income, a wrong address, or a title issue. Work started too soon may also be denied.

Ask whether your file was denied, put on hold, marked incomplete, or sent to a waitlist. Ask for the reason and appeal date in writing.

If SHIP says no, try weatherization or a local nonprofit. Rural owners can try USDA. See our repair denial next steps.

Florida home repair questions

Does Florida give every homeowner a repair grant?

No. Most have income and repair rules. Many give loans or services.

Can SHIP pay for a new roof?

It may, if your local office has a repair plan and the roof meets its rules. Ask about a leak, code issue, or safety need. Do not assume every old roof is covered.

Is My Safe Florida Home a free roof program?

No. It funds only approved storm-protection work found in a program inspection. Many owners must pay part of the cost first.

Can I apply if I own a manufactured home?

Possibly. Some local and storm programs serve manufactured homes. Ask if you must own the lot.

What if the county has no repair money left?

Ask to join a waitlist and get a date to check again. Then try USDA, weatherization, aging services, or a local charity that serves your repair need.

Can I get paid back for repairs I already made?

Most programs will not pay for early work. Some storm programs do. Keep all bills.