How to Apply for Free Home Repair Grants

Home ownership is an utmost necessity to ensure the security and safety of the families and their members. Owning a home ensures individuals to save significant resources for future uses over time. In addition to this, ownership of homes strengthens individuals and communities and inspires them to grow businesses locally and stimulate the local economy. This is why the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development has been helping people stay in their own homes and ensuring that their homes always remain in good conditions through home repair grants. In contrast to loans, the grants do not have to be paid back. This free money disbursed by the federal government is used towards improving the homes of low-income households. In the case of home improvement grants, the amount does not have to be paid back unless the property is sold within three years. Though the grant amount is free, you need to work hard to receive the amount. Hence, it is necessary to figure out your home repair needs and take an organized approach towards the application process for home improvement grants.       

Purposes of the Home Repair Projects

The basic purpose to get free grants for home improvements is-

·         Improving the living conditions of the home

·         Making home energy- efficient

·         Revamping a property to make it accessible for physically challenged people

Apart from these general purposes of home repairs, grants can be received in order to preserve historic homes, fix emergency issues like hot water heater, a broken furnace, and also exterior issues.  On the contrary, home improvement grants cannot be available for aesthetic upgrades of homes.

Get Estimates

First of all, find how much grant is available in your area for a specific home repair project. Since some grants cover the entire projects, whereas some grants offer just a financial assistance to execute a project to some level. Therefore, it is important to get an estimate on the project you want to accomplish. Once you have the estimate ready, it will help you arrange all the finance necessary for your home repairs. You must know that grants can be available only based on the availability of the grant amount in your area and your income percentage.          

Application Process

The grants for home improvements do not come directly from the U.S office of Housing and Urban Development, but these are distributed through the Federal Housing Administration approved authorities. As per FHA, grants for home repairs are monitored by the Section 203 (K) program and therefore, access to this program is possible only through FHA- approved agencies. A family with minimum four members can apply for the program to get free grants for home repairs.

Get 203 (K) and Streamlined (K) Maximum Mortgage Worksheet.  Fill out the worksheet with the correct information and submit it with all necessary documents that provide proof of your citizenship of U.S, your income and others.  Get a receipt and do not forget to keep a copy of all the documents for future needs while the application is being processed. Wait for your turn to receive grants for your home improvements.