Home Repair Grants in New York (2026 Guide)

Find the Group That Serves Your Address

Check both your county and your city or town. Some grants cover a full county.

Others cover only a few ZIP codes. A state funding round is often for agencies to seek money. It is not a deadline for a person to file a home repair form.

The state also posts a county-by-county award list. Its May 2026 version names local groups, work types, and phone numbers. A listed award does not mean intake is open.

Real local contacts to try

These are state-listed partners, not a promise of open intake. Tell them your town and ZIP code at the start.

In Albany, Affordable Housing Partnership, 518-434-1730, has a targeted project in select ZIP codes. Rochester also has work in select ZIP codes.

RESTORE: Emergency Repairs for Owners Age 60 and Up

RESTORE can pay for a true danger or a code problem in an older owner’s home. It may cover a failed heater, bad wiring, a leaking roof, bad stairs, or broken pipes. It is not for cosmetic work.

The state’s RESTORE program rules say an owner must be at least 60, live in the home, and have household income at or below 100% of the area’s median income. Local staff must check proof of title, paid property taxes, and home insurance. Some forms of shared ownership may qualify but need extra signatures.

How much? Up to $20,000 in RESTORE work may be used for one home in the three-year rule period. A local project can pay less. This is grant aid sent through a local group, not a cash check you can spend on any repair.

Important repayment rule: The owner may have to sign a recorded Property Maintenance Declaration. It runs for three years.

A sale or rule breach can trigger repayment. The March 2026 manual sets a sliding share: 100% in months 0–12, 67% in months 13–24, and 34% in months 25–36. Ask the group to explain your own papers before you sign.

Which RESTORE partners take applications?

State-listed is not the same as open. The 2026 state list names many groups, but does not track each group’s live waitlist. For example, Community Development Long Island says its RESTORE funds are used up and it is not taking new RESTORE forms. Do not send it an old form and expect payment.

ADAPT’s home modification page still lists RESTORE and Project Connect at 877-827-2666. The state lists ADAPT in the Bronx and Richmond County. Call to ask if intake is open.

In other counties, call the groups in the table. Ask about RESTORE funds and waitlists. For older owners, our senior repair help guide gives more backup paths.

Other State and Federal Repair Paths

Local repair grants: CDBG, HOME, AHC, and targeted work

Some cities and counties use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) or HOME funds for roof, heat, pipe, code, or safety work. The state also backs a Targeted Home Improvement Program in select places. Most local plans serve people with low or modest income. Rules vary by area.

The Affordable Housing Corporation lists groups that run home improvement projects. Its grants go to approved groups, not straight to owners. Its 2026–27 funding round is for groups, not owners. Ask if the grantee has room.

Local aid may be a grant, deferred loan, or forgivable loan. Ask about liens and repayment if you move or sell.

Access to Home: ramps and safe ways to live at home

Access to Home helps people with a serious limit caused by a disability. It may pay for a ramp, lift, wider door, rails, or safer shower. Renters may qualify with landlord consent.

Most households must be at or below 80% of area median income. A wartime-disabled veteran who meets state rules may have a 120% limit. A local partner takes the case and checks the need. This is aid for access work, not a plan for all home repairs.

Weatherization: less heat lost and lower bills

New York’s Weatherization Assistance Program serves each county through local groups. Crews can seal leaks, add insulation, check air flow, fix some heat systems, and do related safety work. Low-income owners and renters may qualify. Crews do the work; it is not cash.

Use the state’s county weatherization list to find your group. You may need proof of income or HEAP aid.

A bad roof or unsafe wires may delay work. Ask about funds to fix that first. See our weatherization program guide for the steps.

EmPower+: energy work, not a general repair grant

NYSERDA EmPower+ can pay toward insulation, air sealing, and approved heat or power upgrades. Low-income one-family homes may get approved work at no cost, with a cap of $12,000 upstate or $14,000 downstate. Moderate-income aid may cover half the cost, up to $6,000 or $7,000. Other rebates may have their own rules.

The program checks income and the home first. Ask about your share of the cost before work starts.

HEAP: when the main heater has failed

Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement (HERR) is part of New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program. It can help an owner age 60 or older who lives in the home and meets income and resource rules. The state lists up to $4,000 for a repair or $8,000 for a replacement, based on the real cost.

The state’s heating equipment help page still shows 2025–26 terms. That does not prove the new winter round is open.

Call your local social services district or 1-800-342-3009 for today’s intake status. Get approval first. For no heat now, ask about emergency HEAP.

USDA Section 504: rural loans and senior grants

The New York USDA repair program is listed as open for year-round intake. It serves owners who live in eligible rural homes, have very low income, and cannot get a fair loan from other sources.

Loans can be up to $40,000 at a fixed 1% rate for 20 years. Owners age 62 or older who cannot repay a loan may get up to $10,000 in grant funds for health and safety hazards. Higher grant limits can apply in certain declared disaster areas. A grant must be paid back if the home is sold in less than three years.

Check the rural address and county income limit first. Then ask a USDA field office what forms and proof it needs. A loan is debt. Our Section 504 help guide walks through key terms.

Unsafe mobile or manufactured homes

New York’s manufactured home replacement program may pay a local group to replace a worn-out unit. In general, the owner must live there, own the land, and meet an 80% area median income limit. Work may cover removal, site prep, a new home, and a short move.

It is not a statewide form for a new mobile home. Only a funded local partner can screen you. Ask about any mortgage, note, or years you must keep living on the land.

Veterans, tribal households, and older adults

Disabled veterans can ask about Access to Home for Heroes or VA home changes. Our veteran modification guide covers other VA paths. A tribal housing office may know if Bureau of Indian Affairs repair aid is available for an eligible tribal home. Our tribal home repair guide explains that separate path.

Older owners can call NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871. Ask if local EISEP support can cover small safety repairs or assistive items. EISEP is not a general home repair grant.

Home Repair Help in New York City

If your home is in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island, check both city aid and state-listed local groups. Some HCR awards cover NYC ZIP codes. ADAPT is one valid senior repair contact for the Bronx and Staten Island, but its RESTORE waitlist must be checked by phone.

HomeFix and Project HELP

NYC HomeFix offers low- or no-interest and, in some cases, forgivable loans for repairs to one- to four-family homes. Owners must live in the home. Co-ops and condos are excluded. Roof, heat, and safety work may count.

Check terms before relying on a number: Official city versions do not agree. The older page lists $60,000 to $150,000 by unit count and income up to 165% of area median. A newer city HomeFix page lists $100,000 to $190,000 and an income limit of 120%.

Some partners say intake is paused; HPD still invites interest forms. Call 646-513-3470 and ask for the active intake rules and a current term sheet in writing.

The city’s homeowner resources page also describes Project HELP. It offers a forgivable emergency repair loan up to $20,000 for some owners at or below 120% of area median income. Local Neighborhood Housing Services offices handle it. Ask about funds, the needed safety problem, and what makes the loan forgivable.

Lead paint hazards

For some older homes, the city’s lead hazard grant program can pay for testing and safe removal of lead risks. Grants average about $20,000 per unit but depend on the job.

Rules cover home age, need, and use of the home. Owner-occupants must stay five years. Call 212-863-8860 and ask for the current form.

How to Apply Without Losing Time

First, name the most unsafe repair. You can seek aid from more than one program, but not get paid twice for the same work.

Our repair document checklist can help you get ready. Shared deeds and unpaid taxes can mean more forms.

If storm damage caused the problem

Take photos, keep bills, and ask your insurer what it will pay. The state’s Rapid Response repair program can offer up to $50,000 for some named storms and areas. Its listed storm rounds were closed at review. Do not count on this fund for a new storm unless the state names that event and opens intake.

Ask local staff about shelter. Check new FEMA or state notices for the exact storm.

If a program says no

Ask why. Is funding gone? Can you fix the file, join a waitlist, or get a referral? Ask for a written reply.

Call the local aging office if the owner is older. Try 211 for a referral if you do not know the next office.

If a lien, title issue, or foreclosure blocks the repair, Homeowner Help NY can link you to free advice. It is not a home repair fund. You can also use our where to start guide for more routes.

Before You Hire or Sign

Get a written work plan and price. Check local license rules. Do not pay in full first.

The New York Attorney General’s home contractor advice explains contracts, down payments, and your rights. See our home repair scam guide if a deal feels wrong.