Home Repair Grants in Pennsylvania (2026 Guide)

Start with the right Pennsylvania office

See our repair assistance guide and local program guide for more help.

Statewide programs worth checking

Whole-Home Repairs: grant-funded help run locally

Pennsylvania’s Whole-Home Repairs Program sent state funding to one countywide agency in each participating county. Individual homeowners do not apply to the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

• Type of help: Grant-funded repair assistance for eligible owner-occupants. Small-landlord help is structured as a loan with possible forgiveness.
• State eligibility rule: Household income cannot exceed 80% of area median income. The dollar limit changes by county and household size.
• Possible work: Health and safety repairs, habitability work, energy or water efficiency, and accessibility changes.
• State maximum: The official Whole-Home program allows no more than $50,000 per owner-occupied unit. Local caps can be lower.
• Reality check: This was limited federal recovery funding, not a permanent open entitlement. Some counties have exhausted it.

Ask the local agency whether it has another Community Development Block Grant, HOME, housing trust fund, or owner-occupied rehabilitation program. Our CDBG and HOME guide explains why these programs often have different names in each county.

Weatherization: free energy and safety service

The Pennsylvania Weatherization Assistance Program serves all 67 counties through local agencies. It is a direct service, not cash. An audit or approved priority list decides the work. Possible measures include insulation, air sealing, duct or pipe work, heating or cooling work, ventilation, and minor repairs needed to weatherize safely. Priority goes to older adults, disabled people, families with children, and households with high energy burden.

In 2026, the household income limit is 200% of the federal poverty guideline. A household can also qualify automatically when a member receives Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, LIHEAP, or certain means-tested HUD or USDA assistance.

The weatherization limits took effect January 13, 2026. The LIHEAP limits took effect February 1, 2026. Check the official weatherization income page before applying.

If mold, unsafe wiring, roof failure, pests, radon, asbestos, or drainage blocks weatherization, WAP Readiness may fund the needed repair. You cannot apply directly; the local provider must identify the barrier after a WAP audit. See Pennsylvania’s weatherization overview. A home can generally be weatherized only once every 15 years.

Our weatherization guide explains the audit and inspection process in more detail.

LIHEAP: seasonal heating grants and emergency service

Status on July 27, 2026: The 2025-2026 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program season closed on May 8, 2026. Pennsylvania has posted the 2026-2027 income limits shown above, but the public page has not yet announced the next application dates.

During an open season, LIHEAP cash assistance is a grant paid to the fuel supplier or utility. The 2025-2026 cash grants ranged from $200 to $1,000. The next season’s benefit table can change.

Seasonal crisis services may address broken heating equipment, fuel lines, hot-water heating, pipe thawing, lack of fuel, or a shutoff threat. Qualified emergency services are free, but funding and seasonal availability matter.

Check the official LIHEAP status page in the fall. When the season is open, apply through COMPASS or a County Assistance Office. The LIHEAP hotline is 1-866-857-7095.

USDA Section 504: rural loan and limited senior grant

USDA’s Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants program can be one of the strongest options for very-low-income rural homeowners.

• Type of help: A 1% loan, a limited grant, or a combination.
• Basic eligibility: You must own and occupy the home, be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere, meet USDA’s very-low-income limit for the county, and live in an eligible rural area.
• Grant rule: Grants are only for homeowners age 62 or older and must remove health and safety hazards.
• Amounts: Up to $40,000 as a loan and $10,000 as a lifetime grant. The normal combined maximum is $50,000.
• Disaster exception: The grant can reach $15,000 and combined help can reach $55,000 for an eligible home damaged in a presidentially declared disaster area.
• Repayment: Loans run for 20 years at 1%. A grant must be repaid if the property is sold within three years.

Applications are accepted year-round, subject to funding. Use the Section 504 page and contact a USDA housing specialist. Pennsylvania’s general number is 717-237-2186.

See our USDA repair guide for the title, credit, inspection, and contractor steps.

PHFA repair financing: loans, not grants

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency offers two useful repair loan paths. Both require repayment and approval. Do not allow work to begin before closing.

Homeowners Energy Efficiency Loan Program (HEELP): Loans range from $1,000 to $10,000 at a fixed 1% annual percentage rate for 10 years, with no prepayment penalty. Eligible work includes air sealing, insulation, ductwork, energy-efficient windows and doors, heating or cooling repair or replacement, and roof replacement.

PHFA’s current page lists annual income limits of $57,150 for one person; $65,300 for two; $73,450 for three; $81,600 for four; $88,150 for five; $94,700 for six; $101,200 for seven; and $107,750 for eight. Those posted limits are marked effective May 19, 2025. PHFA says exceptions may be possible up to 150% of area median income based on individual circumstances.

PENNVEST Homeowner Septic Loan Program: This mortgage-secured loan can pay to repair or replace an on-lot septic system or make a first connection from an existing home to public sewer. It offers up to $25,000 at 1.75% interest, up to 2.8% APR, with terms up to 20 years or 15 years for a manufactured home. Origination and closing charges apply. There is no household income ceiling, but the borrower must pass ability-to-repay and credit underwriting. Homes in A or V flood zones are generally not eligible under the published rules.

Review both programs on the official PHFA repair page or call 1-855-827-3466.

Utility programs: bill relief and efficiency help

Pennsylvania-regulated utilities may offer Customer Assistance Programs, CARES case-management referrals, Low-Income Usage Reduction Programs, and hardship funds. These can lower monthly bills, help with arrears, provide a hardship grant paid to the utility, or install energy-saving measures.

These are not general repair grants. Ask the utility to screen you for every program. Review PUC assistance programs or call 1-800-692-7380.

Local programs can be stronger than statewide help

Philadelphia

Philadelphia homeowners should start with the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation rather than a generic county search.

Basic Systems Repair Program (BSRP): This is free direct repair assistance for eligible owner-occupied single-family homes with serious problems such as dangerous electrical conditions, broken water or sewer service, certain utility or code violations, major roof leaks with a ceiling collapse, and limited structural or carpentry hazards. Applicants generally must own and occupy the home, own no other residential property, meet income rules, and be current or on a payment plan for property taxes and water charges.

Adaptive Modifications Program (AMP): This provides free accessibility adaptations for Philadelphia residents with permanent physical disabilities. It may install ramps, lifts, railings, widened doors, barrier-free showers, and accessible kitchens or bathrooms. The property must be structurally sound. AMP does not pay for general home repairs.

Apply through One Philly Front Door. Review the official BSRP requirements and AMP requirements. People who cannot apply online can call a PHDC operator at 215-448-2160, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Current funding warning: Philadelphia’s Whole Home fund is marked “Out of Funds.” Do not wait for that fund before trying BSRP, AMP, weatherization, or another matching program.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County

Program boundaries matter here. Some county programs exclude the City of Pittsburgh and several other municipalities.

Allegheny Home Improvement Loan Program (AHILP): This is an active mortgage-secured loan program for eligible homeowners outside excluded municipalities. Emergency or priority loans offer 0% financing from $2,000 to $18,000 for a single code violation or health and safety problem such as a roof, furnace, or gas, water, or sewage line. General improvement loans offer 1% financing from $3,000 to $23,000, plus a processing fee. Limited grants may be added only with a loan, case by case, when funding is available.

The current published income limits are $60,100 for one person; $68,700 for two; $77,300 for three; $85,850 for four; $92,750 for five; $99,600 for six; $106,500 for seven; and $113,350 for eight. Property taxes must be current, credit must be acceptable, and professional contractors must perform the work. Review the official AHILP details or call 412-350-6337.

Closed Pittsburgh programs: ACTION-Housing states that the City of Pittsburgh Homeowner Assistance Program application window closed March 14, 2025. The URA also marks the Home Accessibility Program for Independence as not accepting new applications. The closed accessibility program offered $1,000 to $15,000 grants, but homeowners should not submit an application unless the HAPI status page changes.

For current repair-program routing in the Pittsburgh area, contact HOME Allegheny at 412-248-0021. Ask which programs are accepting new applications now.

Other counties and cities

Do not assume every county still has Whole-Home money. For example, Montgomery County states that it is not accepting new repair applications or adding households to a waitlist and that its one-time Whole Home grant will not reopen because the funding is gone.

Another county may still have a queue, local rehab fund, weatherization provider, or municipal repair program. Check the county agency list and call the local community development or housing office.

Ask whether owner-occupied repair help is open, what repairs receive priority, what the repayment terms are, and whether your municipality has separate funding.

Help for older adults, disabled homeowners, and veterans

When the repair is tied to remaining safely at home, ask for both repair help and long-term support screening.

• PA Link: Free information and application help for older adults and people with disabilities. Use the PA Link service or call 1-800-753-8827.
• Area Agencies on Aging: Pennsylvania has 52 agencies serving all 67 counties. Find your local aging agency.
• OPTIONS: Pennsylvania residents age 60 or older with unmet daily-living needs may qualify for supports that can include home modifications. There is no income limit to participate, but a sliding copay may apply. Review the OPTIONS program.

For more routes, see our guides to disability home modifications, Medicaid waiver modifications, and VA modification grants. These programs have their own medical, disability, enrollment, or veteran-status rules and should not be treated as general repair grants.

Disaster repair help is event-specific

Pennsylvania’s Disaster Recovery Assistance Program opens only for named disasters. It provides grants to eligible uninsured or underinsured households with no other recovery source.

As of July 27, 2026, Pennsylvania’s official notices include assistance for the Oak Forest Apartments fire and the July 5-6 flash flooding. For the flash flooding, the state activated grants for affected households in named municipalities in Blair and Huntingdon Counties. The flood application deadline is October 21, 2026. Eligible flood households may receive up to $20,000 for home repairs, temporary housing, or essential personal property, subject to program rules and other aid received.

Check the live DRAP status page and the flood assistance notice. Applicants may need proof of residence and income, photos, receipts, two repair quotes, insurance records, and an SBA denial unless the household receives qualifying income-based benefits.

Documents to gather before applying

Tell the agency immediately if the deed is in a deceased relative’s name, ownership is shared, or title is unclear. Ask whether legal-aid or tangled-title help is available.

What happens after you apply

After applying, the agency may verify income and ownership, inspect the home, set the work scope, request bids, review lead or environmental issues, approve a contractor, and arrange payment. Loan programs also check credit, title, liens, insurance, and repayment ability.

Keep a simple log with the date, office, person, phone number, documents sent, and next step. Save copies of every form and photo. If an agency says it never received something, resend it and ask for written confirmation.

If the first program says no

Before signing, confirm who selects and pays the contractor, who handles permits, and who pays if hidden damage raises the cost. An approved list does not guarantee workmanship.