Housing rehabilitation loan and grant programs

Program basics

Provide funds in the form of loans and/or grants to income-eligible owner-occupants to assist with repair, rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction of homes.
Some programs tie funding to specific forms of home improvement, like insulation, plumbing, or mold removal.

Low- and moderate-income adults and families

Not available

1992-present

Can decrease disparities in access to quality housing and housing-related health outcomes
Positive impacts on the stability and quality of neighborhood housing
Health benefits are particularly strong when focused on increasing housing insulation and warmth
Correlated with improvements in school attendance, work attendance, frequency of doctor’s visits, and reduced hospitalizations

Define a set of priorities and corresponding criteria for targeting and selecting loan and grant applicants, such as home safety, habitability, energy efficiency, and/or accessibility.
Clearly communicate loan and grant applicant eligibility criteria, including income, family size, age (such as a program for senior housing), and other factors that align with policy priorities and community needs.
Consider tailoring grants or loans to meet specific needs within a community, such as lead remediation for communities with older housing stocks, mold remediation in humid climates, and more.
Ensure the program offers large enough loans and grant awards to allow recipients to fully mitigate health risks; while costs vary, successful grant programs have awarded as much as $7,500, while loans have reached $20,000.
Consider offering and encourage applicants to apply for both grants and loans, and to consider funding home improvements using a combination of both if they are able to repay part of the loan.
Coordinate across local agencies to ensure program implementation aligns with policy priorities across housing, planning and zoning, taxation and finance, and more.