Last updated: July 27, 2026
If the home is unsafe now: Leave the area and call 911, the fire department, or the utility emergency line for a gas smell, fire risk, exposed live wiring, structural collapse, sewage inside the home, or another immediate danger. Public repair programs usually do not provide same-day emergency crews.
Bottom Line
New Mexico has real home repair help, but it is not one simple statewide cash grant. The strongest paths are Housing New Mexico weatherization and homeowner rehabilitation, USDA Section 504 for rural homes, state septic assistance, disaster recovery in Lincoln and Chaves Counties, and a few local programs.
The right starting point depends on the home address and the repair. Heating and energy problems usually go to Energy$mart. Major health-and-safety repairs may fit Housing New Mexico or USDA. A failing septic system has its own state fund. Utility bill help and rebates can reduce costs, but they are not full repair grants.
Deadline for eight counties: Housing New Mexico says its direct Home Improvement Program waiting list will close to new applications on August 1, 2026, for Guadalupe, Harding, Los Alamos, McKinley, Quay, Rio Arriba, San Juan, and Union Counties. A complete application must be submitted by July 31, 2026. Use the online application or call 505-767-2233 for help before the deadline.
New Mexico’s repair system is highly local. One county may have an open intake while another has a long wait. Tribal land, city limits, rural status, income, home value, ownership, and repair type can change where you apply.
This guide explains each option, who may qualify, and what to ask before signing.
Quick Reference: Match the Repair to the Right Program
| Main need | Best first route | Type of help | Current reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broken furnace, high energy loss, unsafe water heater, insulation | Housing New Mexico Energy$mart | No-cost weatherization service | Open through regional providers; county waiting lists apply |
| Roof, electrical, plumbing, structural, sanitation, or code repair | Housing New Mexico HOME Rehabilitation | 0% deferred forgivable loan | Local provider access and waits vary by county |
| Major repair on a rural home | USDA Section 504 | 1% loan, age-62-plus grant, or both | Open; applications accepted year-round |
| Failing septic system or cesspool | Liquid Waste Assistance Fund | State repair funding | First come, first served |
| Utility shutoff or heating-fuel crisis | New Mexico LIHEAP | Utility bill assistance | Not a full home repair grant |
| 2024 disaster damage in Lincoln or Chaves County | New Mexico Home Recovery Program | Disaster recovery grant | Applications are open |
| Roof, windows, hazards, or well work in unincorporated Santa Fe County | Santa Fe County HREE | Grant secured by mortgage and note | First phase is accepting applications |
| Small safety work for a homeowner age 60+ | Albuquerque Senior Home Services | No-cost repair and retrofit service | For Albuquerque/Bernalillo County; seasonal services may close |
Where New Mexico Homeowners Should Start
- Name the main problem. Choose the repair that creates the greatest health or safety risk. Do not describe the request as a general remodel.
- Confirm the exact location. Write down the county, city, whether the home is inside city limits, and whether it is on tribal land.
- Check the program type. Ask whether the help is a grant, loan, deferred loan, forgivable loan, direct service, or rebate.
- Call before hiring. Many programs must inspect the home, approve the work, and select or approve contractors before repairs begin.
- Use a backup route. If the county provider is closed, check USDA, weatherization, utility help, senior services, tribal housing, or a local nonprofit.
For a leaking roof, start with the major rehabilitation provider or USDA rather than assuming weatherization will replace the roof. Energy$mart can make only minor roof repairs when they are needed to complete weatherization. Our roof repair help page explains other common paths, but current New Mexico rules should come from the official programs linked below.
Main New Mexico Home Repair Programs
Housing New Mexico Energy$mart Weatherization
Type of help: No-cost direct weatherization and health-and-safety service for eligible homeowners and renters.
Energy$mart may provide insulation, air sealing, duct work, furnace or water-heater repair or replacement, ventilation, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, energy-efficient lighting, and other measures chosen after an energy audit. It may also cover small incidental repairs needed to complete the weatherization work.
Household income is generally limited to 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. The current chart lists annual limits from $31,920 for one person to $111,440 for eight people. A household member receiving disability income, Supplemental Security Income, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families may be automatically income-eligible under U.S. Department of Energy funding, although other rules still apply. Priority is given to people over 60, people with disabilities, families with children, and high-energy-use homes.
Apply to the provider serving the home, not to Housing New Mexico’s main office. Northern New Mexico uses Central New Mexico Housing Corporation at 505-345-4949 or 1-855-345-4949. The Navajo Nation route is Red Feather Development Group at 928-440-5119. Southern New Mexico uses Southwestern Regional Housing & Community Development Corporation at 575-523-1639. Check the official provider map before applying.
Reality check: Approval does not mean immediate work. Housing New Mexico says approved households are ranked on a county waiting list. An auditor later decides which measures are cost-effective and allowed. See our weatherization overview for general background.
Housing New Mexico HOME Rehabilitation Program
Type of help: A 0% interest, deferred-payment forgivable loan. It is not unrestricted cash.
The HOME Rehabilitation Program addresses code, structural, sanitation, mechanical, safety, resource-efficiency, and healthy-home problems. A local provider inspects the house and develops the approved scope.
General eligibility includes household income at or below 80% of area median income, owner occupancy, use as the primary residence, an after-repair home value within program limits, and eligible citizenship or permanent-resident status. Housing New Mexico says homes in a flood plain are not eligible. The loan may carry an ownership period of up to 15 years and recapture rules. Ask the provider what happens if the home is sold, transferred, refinanced, or inherited.
New Mexico uses local service providers. Bernalillo County Housing serves Bernalillo and Sandoval Counties at 505-314-0408 or 505-314-0225. Santa Fe Habitat serves Santa Fe, San Miguel, and Tesuque Pueblo at 505-986-5880 ext. 103. El Camino Housing Authority serves Catron, Socorro, Torrance, Valencia, Cibola, Colfax, Mora, and Taos at 575-322-2141.
Southwestern Regional Housing & Community Development Corporation serves many southern and eastern counties at 575-546-4181. Its official page warns that Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra, Doña Ana, Otero, Roosevelt, Chaves, and Curry Counties have waits longer than five years and are not accepting applications at this time. Confirm status before mailing documents.
Call script: “I own and live in a home in ___ County. The main health or safety problem is ___. Is your rehabilitation intake open, and would the assistance be a deferred forgivable loan? What documents should I send first?”
USDA Section 504 for Rural Homeowners
Type of help: A low-interest loan, a grant for some homeowners age 62 or older, or a combination.
The New Mexico Section 504 page says the program is open and accepts applications year-round. Applicants must own and occupy the home, be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere, meet the county’s very-low-income limit, and live in an eligible rural area. Grant applicants must be at least 62 and unable to repay a loan.
The maximum loan is $40,000. The maximum grant is $10,000, or $15,000 for an eligible home damaged in a presidentially declared disaster area. Combined assistance can reach $50,000, or $55,000 in such disaster areas. Loans have a fixed 1% rate and a 20-year term. A grant must be repaid if the property is sold within three years.
Use USDA’s address and income tools from the official program page. Call the New Mexico State Office at 505-761-4950 and ask for the housing program. Loan Specialist Fredrick Lucero can be reached at 505-761-4970, and Housing Program Director Samantha Martinez at 505-761-4941.
Call script: “I own and occupy a home near ___, New Mexico. Can you check whether the address is rural and whether my household may fit a Section 504 loan, grant, or both?”
Our Section 504 guide provides background, but use USDA’s page for current figures and forms.
Liquid Waste Assistance Fund for Septic Failure
Type of help: State funding for necessary septic or wastewater work.
The New Mexico Environment Department’s Liquid Waste Assistance Fund helps low-income homeowners repair or replace failing septic systems or cesspools. It may also help with costs to connect to a central sewer system. Applications are reviewed first come, first served.
An applicant must own or be buying the property, have lived there for the past year, meet yearly HUD-based income limits, and have a county-assessed home value no higher than HUD’s median home value for the county. Required records include ownership proof, one-year residency proof, federal tax forms, and government-issued identification.
Call Program Manager Michael Broussard at 505-827-1840 or Eligibility Manager Suzanne Lopez at 505-469-3048. The public page does not state one fixed award cap or repayment rule, so ask how the approved cost is paid before starting work. See also our general sewer repair help.
LIHEAP for Utility Crisis
Type of help: Heating and cooling bill assistance. It is not a broad repair grant.
New Mexico’s LIHEAP page says households may apply through YesNM or an Income Support Division office. Applicants should provide a completed application, identity proof, immigration-status proof when applicable, income from the last 30 days, and heating or cooling costs.
Tell the worker immediately if service is disconnected, a disconnect notice has arrived, or the household is almost out of wood, propane, or another bulk fuel. The state says crisis cases may receive faster help. A decision is sent by letter within 45 days, and a household may ask for a fair hearing if it disagrees.
Call the Consolidated Customer Service Center at 1-800-283-4465. Apply for Energy$mart too if the home has a broken or inefficient system. LIHEAP may help with the bill while weatherization addresses an eligible equipment or energy problem.
New Mexico Home Recovery Program
Type of help: A disaster recovery grant, not a normal statewide repair program.
The Home Recovery Program is accepting applications from qualifying homeowners in Lincoln and Chaves Counties whose primary residences were damaged by the South Fork Fire, Salt Fire, or severe storms and flooding in 2024. The $100 million housing program may support repair, reconstruction, new construction, or manufactured-home replacement after review.
Apply through the official state page or get a paper form at a listed local site. Disaster case managers can help at 505-670-4662. Do not pay someone to “reserve” a grant or to file an intent form for you.
Local, Senior, Veteran, Tribal, and Utility Help
Santa Fe County HREE
Type of help: A one-time grant up to $50,000, secured by an Affordable Mortgage and Note.
The Santa Fe County HREE Program is accepting applications for its first phase in unincorporated Santa Fe County. Eligible work includes roofs, stucco, windows, doors, mold, asbestos and lead-paint remediation, and domestic-well testing or remediation.
Household income must be at or below 100% of Santa Fe County area median income. Applicants must prove ownership, residency, and that the home is outside incorporated city limits. Awards have a five-year affordability period for $1 to $14,999.99, 10 years for $15,000 to $39,999.99, and 15 years for $40,000 to $50,000. The county records a mortgage and note for the same period. Call Denise Benavidez at 505-986-6264 before applying if a future sale, transfer, refinance, or estate plan may be affected.
Albuquerque and Bernalillo County
The City of Albuquerque’s PATCH Program is approved but currently not funded. It is designed as a no-interest forgivable loan for health, safety, and structural repairs, but there is no active waiting list. Do not delay an urgent repair while waiting for PATCH.
For homeowners age 60 or older in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, Senior Home Services offers no-cost small safety repairs and retrofits. Work may include locks, trip hazards, detectors, railings, step or doorway changes, and wheelchair ramps. It does not provide cosmetic or licensed work. Spring evaporative-cooler start-up and yardwork requests are currently closed. Call 505-764-6400.
For larger projects, contact Bernalillo County Housing at 505-314-0408 or 505-314-0225. Sandoval County residents may also ask Rebuilding Together Sandoval at 505-896-3041 about its current critical-repair intake.
Older Adults, People With Disabilities, and Veterans
The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department’s Aging and Disability Resource Center is a referral and options-counseling service, not a repair grant. It can help older adults, disabled people, caregivers, and families find local home-modification or independent-living resources. Call 1-800-432-2080.
People enrolled in certain Medicaid home- and community-based programs should ask their care coordinator whether environmental modifications are covered. Approval depends on assessed need.
Housing New Mexico also has a Veterans Rehabilitation Program for eligible disabled veterans. Possible work includes ramps, rails, wider doors, roof or mobile-home replacement, major systems, utility connections, and code repairs. The public page does not clearly label every award as a grant or loan, so ask whether any lien, repayment, recapture, or occupancy term applies. Our veteran repair programs page lists other paths.
For steps, ramps, and safer entryways, see our stair and ramp help page.
Tribal and Pueblo Households
If the home is on tribal land, call the tribal housing department first. Housing New Mexico lists Ohkay Owingeh Housing Authority as a HOME rehabilitation provider for Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. Energy$mart routes many pueblos through Central New Mexico Housing Corporation and Navajo Nation households through Red Feather Development Group.
New Mexico Gas Company also works with participating tribal governments through its Native American Energy Efficiency Program. Individual households do not apply directly. Ask tribal housing or leadership whether the community participates and what work is available.
Utility Services and Rebates
Type of help: A free assessment, direct efficiency service, or rebate. These are not general home repair grants.
New Mexico Gas Company lists a free energy-and-water kit and rebates for smart thermostats, air sealing, duct sealing, efficient heating equipment, water heaters, and insulation. Current examples include up to $200 for air sealing, up to $200 for duct sealing, and up to $1,000 for insulation. Call its energy-efficiency team at 505-697-3611 before buying equipment because product, contractor, and submission rules apply.
PNM’s Home Energy Checkup provides a free assessment, a report, and basic on-the-spot weatherization. Income-qualified customers at or below 200% of the federal poverty level may receive added equipment. The current page routes people to a waitlist and 855-775-6491. Confirm rebate rules before work begins.
How Income Limits Work
There is no single New Mexico income limit. Each program uses its own method.
| Program | Main income rule | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Energy$mart | Generally at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines | Current household-size chart and automatic eligibility categories |
| HOME Rehabilitation | At or below 80% of area median income | County, household size, assets, and home-value limit |
| USDA Section 504 | At or below the very-low-income limit | County income limit, rural address, and ability to repay |
| Santa Fe County HREE | At or below 100% of Santa Fe County area median income | Current county chart and unincorporated location |
| Septic assistance | Yearly HUD-based county limits | Income, assessed home value, ownership, and one-year residency |
Do not reject yourself based only on one month’s gross income. Programs may count household members, wages, benefits, assets, and other sources differently. Ask the program to screen the full household.
How to Apply Without Losing Time
- Call the correct office. Give the county, city or unincorporated area, home type, ownership status, and main repair.
- Ask whether intake is open. Confirm the deadline, waiting-list status, and whether a complete application is required to hold a place.
- Gather records. Prepare photo identification, deed or tax notice, proof of primary residence, household income, asset records when required, utility bills, tax status, insurance, and photos of the damage.
- Submit a complete file. Keep copies, note the date, and save the confirmation number or email.
- Do not start unapproved work. Ask whether the program must inspect first or use approved contractors.
- Read every recorded term. Before signing, ask about liens, mortgages, notes, affordability periods, recapture, repayment, owner matches, and what happens after a sale or transfer.
- Follow up in writing. Record every call, name, missing item, and deadline.
Call script: “Before I apply, please tell me whether your program is open, what type of assistance it provides, whether it records a lien or mortgage, and whether work started before approval can be paid.”
Document tip: Create one paper folder and one phone folder. Save the deed or tax notice, IDs, income records, utility bills, insurance, repair photos, estimates, and every letter from the program.
Waitlists, Delays, and Denials
A long wait does not always mean you are ineligible. A provider may lack funding, have a closed list, or face a county backlog. Ask for the exact reason.
Common problems
- Applying to the wrong county or tribal provider
- Sending an incomplete application before a closing date
- Using a weatherization program for a major structural project
- Hiring a contractor before inspection or written approval
- Missing proof of ownership, residency, income, assets, or home value
- Not disclosing an ownership dispute, unpaid tax, mortgage problem, or other lien
- Assuming “forgivable” means no recorded obligation
If denied, request the decision and reason in writing. Ask whether the file can be corrected, reconsidered, appealed, or moved to another program. For LIHEAP, the state says applicants may request a fair hearing. For a local repair program, ask for its written complaint or appeal procedure.
If the county rehab route is closed, use the repair-specific backup: USDA for an eligible rural home, Energy$mart for heating and efficiency, septic assistance for wastewater failure, disaster recovery for covered 2024 damage, senior services for small safety changes, and utility programs for bill or efficiency relief.
Repair Grant and Contractor Scam Warning
Do not pay an upfront “federal grant fee,” share bank information with an unsolicited caller, or sign a deed, mortgage, power of attorney, or contractor financing agreement you do not understand. Government programs do not guarantee approval through social media messages or demand gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
Verify the office through the official links on this page. Get the assistance type, approved work, contractor rules, total cost, and any lien or repayment term in writing. Never let a contractor pressure you to start before the program gives written approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one statewide home repair grant in New Mexico?
No. New Mexico has several programs with different rules. Housing New Mexico, USDA, septic assistance, disaster recovery, local governments, utilities, and nonprofits each cover different repairs and locations.
What should I apply for first?
Match the main repair to the home address. Use Energy$mart for heating and energy loss, Housing New Mexico or USDA for major health-and-safety repairs, LIHEAP for a utility crisis, and the Liquid Waste Assistance Fund for septic failure.
Can a New Mexico program pay for a roof?
Possibly. Housing rehabilitation, USDA Section 504, Santa Fe County HREE, disaster recovery, and some nonprofit programs may cover an eligible roof. Weatherization normally covers only minor roof work needed to complete approved energy measures.
Will I receive cash and hire my own contractor?
Usually not. Many programs inspect the home, approve the work scope, and select or approve contractors. Some help is a deferred loan, lien-backed grant, rebate, or direct service rather than cash paid to the homeowner.
Can a manufactured or mobile home qualify?
Sometimes. Energy$mart accepts applications for mobile homes, and some veteran, USDA, disaster, or local programs may cover qualifying manufactured homes. Ask about title, land ownership, permanent foundation, and home-age rules.
What if my county program is closed or has a long wait?
Ask for the exact reason and switch to the next repair-specific route. Check USDA for rural homes, Energy$mart, septic assistance, LIHEAP, senior or disability services, tribal housing, utility programs, and local nonprofits.
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