Home Repair Grants in South Dakota (2026 Guide)

Last updated: July 27, 2026

A leaking roof in Aberdeen, a failed furnace near Winner, and an unsafe porch in Rapid City may go through different systems. County lines, city limits, rural eligibility, and current funding all matter. For a broader preparation checklist, see our guide on where to start.

Quick guide to the best starting point

Main South Dakota home repair programs

South Dakota Housing CHIP

The Community Home Improvement Program, called CHIP, is a low-interest loan. It is not a grant. It can be useful when you can afford a monthly payment but do not have cash for a major repair.

As of July 2026, the official page lists a 2.9% interest rate. Maximum gross annual household income is $124,080 for one or two people and $144,760 for three or more. The lender sets the amount, term, and payment after underwriting.

Eligible work includes roofing, foundations, plumbing, wiring, heating, insulation, windows, doors, steps, accessibility changes, mold, radon, and alarms. Appliances, furniture, pools, hot tubs, and landscaping are excluded.

Apply through a participating lender: BankWest 1-800-253-0362, CU Mortgage Direct 605-339-2152, Dacotah Bank 605-622-6325, First Fidelity 605-775-2641, or Premier Bank 605-934-2500.

Locally run HOME and Housing Opportunity Fund repairs

South Dakota Housing sends federal HOME and state Housing Opportunity Fund money to local organizations. Help may be a grant, forgivable loan, deferred loan, low-interest loan, or managed repair service.

Homeowners do not apply to the state HOF competition. Its August 2026 deadline is for organizations, not households. Use the current HOME recipient list and HOF recipient list to find a local administrator.

Ask whether intake is open, your address is covered, and a lien will be recorded. Forgivable debt may shrink while you remain in the home. Deferred debt may become due after a sale, refinance, move, or rental.

For help finding the right office, call South Dakota Housing at 605-773-3181 or 1-800-540-4241. Our guide to finding local programs can also help you search by city, county, and service area.

Weatherization, LIEAP, and heating crisis help

The South Dakota Department of Social Services runs three related routes:

• Weatherization Assistance: no-cost air sealing, insulation, weather-stripping, heating repair or replacement, and related minor work.
• LIEAP: heating-bill assistance, not general home repair.
• ECIP: immediate help for a disconnect, fuel delivery refusal, or very low fuel.

Funds are limited and a waitlist is possible. Priority includes older adults, people with disabilities, families with children, and single-family homes. Renters need landlord permission and possible landlord contribution.

Apply online or use the state form. Adults age 18 or older generally sign. Provide the prior three months of income, heating responsibility, utility or fuel records, and any disconnect notice. Email documents to DSSHeat@state.sd.us or mail them to 700 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501. Processing may take up to 60 days. Check status at 1-800-233-8503, option 1.

USDA Section 504 rural repair loans and grants

USDA Section 504 is one of South Dakota’s most important rural repair programs. The South Dakota page currently shows the program as open, with applications accepted year-round through Rural Development.

The standard option is a 1% fixed-rate loan of up to $40,000 for 20 years. A grant of up to $10,000 may be available only to an eligible homeowner age 62 or older who cannot repay the full repair cost. A regular loan and grant may be combined up to $50,000. In a presidentially declared disaster area, USDA lists a possible grant maximum of $15,000 and combined maximum of $55,000.

The applicant must own and occupy a rural-eligible home, meet the county very-low-income limit, and be unable to get affordable credit elsewhere. Loans can repair or modernize the home; grants are limited to health and safety work.

The grant is a lifetime limit and must be repaid if the home is sold within three years. Full title service is required when outstanding Section 504 loans exceed $25,000. Funding must also be available.

Contact South Dakota Rural Development at 605-352-1100 or email SFHDirectSD@USDA.Gov. Ask staff to check your address and county income limit before you gather a full application. See our rural repair guide for more preparation help.

City and regional programs that matter

Sioux Falls

The Sioux Falls rehabilitation program uses a zero-interest deferred loan. There is no monthly payment, but the city records a mortgage and the balance is due when the owner sells or stops occupying the home.

The owner must live inside city limits, have occupied the home for one year, hold the deed, and be current on mortgage, taxes, and insurance. Contract-for-deed properties are excluded. Debt plus repairs cannot exceed 110% of assessed or appraised value.

Eligible work includes plumbing, heat, electrical, roofing, windows, doors, stairs, insulation, winterization, and accessibility. The city inspects, writes a scope, and requires bids. Do not start before signing.

The separate Mobile Home Repair Program provides up to $5,000 in lifetime emergency repair help for faulty heating, electrical, or plumbing. It is forgiven after the owner continues to occupy the mobile home for one year after completion. Call Housing at 605-367-8180.

Western South Dakota and the Black Hills

NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources serves the I-90 corridor from the Wyoming border to Box Elder. Current products, when funded, include a 0% five-year forgivable HOME loan of $1,000 to $15,000; a 0% three-year forgivable USDA preservation loan up to $7,500; a 0% deferred HOF loan of $1,000 to $10,000; and a monthly-payment loan of $1,000 to $10,000 at about 3% to 8%.

NeighborWorks can inspect, write the work scope, collect bids, and oversee repairs. Manufactured homes need a permanent foundation, owned land, and surrendered title. Call 605-578-1401.

Black Hills Area Habitat helps with critical safety, access, weatherization, and structural repairs. Some mobile homes qualify. Help is generally an affordable loan, not a guaranteed grant. Call 605-348-9196.

Rapid City does not publish one always-open homeowner grant form. Call Community Development at 605-394-4120 and ask which 2026 CDBG partner takes owner-occupied repair referrals. Also call NeighborWorks and Habitat.

Aberdeen, Huron, Mitchell, and eastern South Dakota

Homes Are Possible, Inc. (HAPI) serves northeastern and north-central South Dakota. Pick up its 2026 application at 125 South 2nd Street in Aberdeen. Applicants must own and occupy the home, be below 80% of area median income, use a licensed and insured contractor, and complete required education and inspections. Mobile and rental homes are excluded. Some awards are five-year forgivable mortgages. Call 605-225-4274.

Huron Housing is a current HOME rehab recipient. A state resource listing describes forgivable help up to $35,000 for eligible Beadle County owner-occupants, subject to funding. Call 605-352-1520. Mitchell Area Housing is also a current recipient; call 605-770-2500 and ask about intake and terms.

BASEC says limited funds may match each dollar borrowed up to $10,000 for structural, energy, health, or safety repairs. Confirm its Beadle or Spink County coverage at 605-635-6165. Inter-Lakes at 605-256-6518 and GROW South Dakota at 605-698-7654 are other key regional contacts.

Tribal, disability, and veteran repair routes

Tribal housing and the BIA Housing Improvement Program

If the home is on reservation or trust land, call the tribal housing authority or tribal social services office first. Standard lenders and title rules may not work the same way on trust land.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program is a limited grant program for eligible members of federally recognized tribes living in an approved tribal service area. The current BIA rules include an income ceiling of 150% of the federal poverty guideline, substandard housing, and no other available housing resource. Tribal participation and annual funding matter.

BIA lists up to $60,000 for repair and renovation, but awards are not automatic and local priorities may be lower. Start with the tribe, then review the BIA application steps. Call the Great Plains housing office at 605-226-7441.

Older adults and people with disabilities

Dakota at Home is South Dakota’s aging and disability information and referral service. Call 1-833-663-9673. It does not provide a general roof or siding grant, but it can screen for long-term services, home barrier evaluation, Medicaid waiver modifications, caregiver support, and local accessibility resources.

Approved modifications may include ramps, grab bars, wider doors, or bathroom access. Medical and financial rules apply. Our disability modification guide explains other routes.

Veterans

Veterans with a qualifying disability or medical need should ask the VA about Specially Adapted Housing, Special Home Adaptation, or HISA. These are VA grants or medical benefits for access and medically necessary changes, not ordinary roof or furnace work. Get approval before hiring a contractor. See our VA housing grants guide.

Current income limits to know

Programs count income differently. Some use gross income, some use county area median income, and USDA uses local very-low-income limits. Do not reject yourself based on one table.

Sioux Falls limits shown above took effect June 1, 2026. Check the current city table before applying. USDA, HOME, and HOF limits vary by county and household size.

How to apply without losing time

For a fuller process, use our guide on how to apply.

Documents commonly requested

• Photo identification for each owner
• Deed, tax statement, mortgage statement, or manufactured-home title
• Proof the owner lives in the home
• Income proof for each household member counted by the program
• Homeowner insurance and current property-tax information
• Utility bills, fuel receipts, or disconnect notice for energy help
• Photos and a short description of the damage
• Contractor estimates when the program asks for them
• Power of attorney, guardianship, or written permission when someone helps the owner

What causes delays, denials, and extra costs

If title, probate, contractor, or lien issues block the application, contact Dakota Plains Legal Services at 605-856-4444. Acceptance depends on income, location, and case priorities.

What to try if the first program says no

• If a local grant or forgivable-loan fund is closed, ask about CHIP or USDA.
• If weatherization has a waitlist, apply for LIEAP and crisis help and ask the utility about a payment plan.
• If USDA says the address is not rural, call the city housing office, SD Housing, and regional nonprofits.
• If the repair is too large, ask whether the program can fund the most urgent phase first.
• If no office serves the address, dial 211 and ask for a ZIP-code search for home repair, ramps, furnace help, weatherization, and emergency housing.
• If storm damage is involved, contact the insurer before demolition and ask whether a federal disaster declaration creates added USDA or emergency help.

When denied, ask for the reason in writing and whether you can correct documents, request review, or join a waitlist. One denial may not bar another program.

Contractor and financing safety

Frequently asked questions