Illinois has over 47 home improvement grants and home repairs grants available to low income homeowner families and individuals in 2023.
This article provides you with all the main home repair programs offered throughout the State of Illinois.
There are 3 main sources of financial assistance for home improvement in Illinois:
You can review the Federal and the State of Illinois free home repair grants but ultimately your county and city are the organisations you need to contact and where you apply for funding.
In Illinois in general everyone is eligible to home improvement and repairs grants and assistance (you can find them all in this article). In reality, because the needs are so big, some groups like seniors, veterans, disable and low-income households are given priority. Even in those case, you need to apply as soon as possible because funds are limited.
So it’s often first arrived first served basis: apply early.
Each programs have their own eligibility, so you need to verify with programs in your area to see info you meet the income eligibility level.
In general in Illinois all repair and improvement help with:
More precisely the following work and repair are usually covered by home improvement grants programs in Illinois:
HUD is the federal agency which provide funding to States’ Housing agencies, Counties and Cities. HUD have many programs from home-buyer help, renter help, free grants for homeowners for repairs and improvements, among many programs.
IHDA Provides assistance for you to repair your home with 2 programs:
Home Accessibility Program (HAP): Provides funding to local governments and non-profit organizations for home accessibility grants to their local residents. These grants help people stay in their homes and prevent premature or unnecessary institutionalization of the elderly and people with disabilities.
Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR): The program provides funding to local government and non-profit organizations to help homeowners make necessary repairs to their homes. IHDA does not directly fund homeowners. You can find your local participating organisation here.
Habitat rehabilitates houses for families and people in need with volunteers. Habitat may be able to help with home repairs and updates to make your home safer. This organization relies on you, or some neighbors if you’re elderly, to put some of the work into your home repairs. You can apply through Habitat to learn about help available in your area.
ReStores in Illinois provide discounted used, surplus building materials, appliances and furniture.
All official programs on this page cane be used by seniors, even if they are not only seniors.
For programs for only seniors contact your local Agency on Aging.
You can also call or contact the Senior Helpline here: 1-800-252-8966
You can also find specific home modification programs for seniors here.
The USDA provide home improvement loans and government grants for home repairs to low-income homeowners in rural areas.
Who may apply for this program?
To qualify, you must:
What is an eligible area?
Applicants may check the address of their home to determine eligibility.
How may funds be used?
How much money can I get?
What are the terms of the loan or grant?
Is there a deadline to apply?
Applications for this program are accepted through your local USDA’s RD office all year round
How long does an application take?
Approval times depend on funds availability in your area.
Its Home Modification Program make forgivable loans to very-low and extremely-low income elderly and/or disabled persons to make the home more accessible and safe for them.
The program’s funds are for major rehabilitation work on owner-occupied properties in need of repairs and/or necessary work to bring these properties up the local building codes standards.
Minor Home Repair: The program offer grants and forgivable deferred payment loans to eligible homeowners to correct housing deficiencies threatening the health or safety of the occupants or its structural integrity.
Major Home Repair: program provides grants and/or low interest loans to eligible homeowners in targeted areas to repair deteriorated homes. Renovations done through this program are for moderate to substantial rehabilitation.
Retrofit: This program eliminate barriers, modify the layout, or add structural accessories or improvements to the dwellings to make it more accessible for occupants with disabilities.
Roof and Porch Emergency Repairs: The program provides grants to owner-occupants of 1 to 4-unit residential buildings for improvements to their roof or porch. Because of the big demand for this program, residents need to signup and once a year there’s a lottery to pick the lucky winners.
Home repair: This program provides grants to income-eligible homeowners to repair health and safety issues for 1-to-4-unit residential property. The program covers:
Small Accessible repairs for Seniors: This program provides safety, security and accessibility improvements that help senior citizens to remain in their homes.
Repair types are limited to minor repairs not limited to: Grab bars, Lever faucets, Door repairs, Carbon monoxide detectors, Smoke detectors, Wheelchair ramps.
The repair program helps homeowners correct code violations and address long-overdue repairs that affect the health or safety of their families. Improvements include basic structural repairs, roof, doors & windows, electrical, plumbing, heating, and weatherization.
Provides funding up to $15,000 to eligible homeowners for home repair and improvements to correct code violations, correct health and safety issues, provide accessibility improvements and fix system failures.
Find the eligibility criteria and eligible improvements.
The Weatherization Program enables low income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. Here’s a partial list of work covered:
Homeowners may receive funding in the amount of up to $4,999.00 in the form of a 3 year forgivable loan, and for certain activities, additional funding of up to $5,000.00 in the form of a deferred loan. See full list of eligible work on the application here.
Housing Rehabilitation: This program provides grants and low interest loans for rehab projects to make homes safer and compliant with local housing standards. Grants are available to address lead-based hazards in homes. Up to $30,000 is generally available for homes.
Home Rehab: The program rehabilitate seniors’ homes in order meet local housing codes and standards. Homeowners in Kane and DeKalb counties may be eligible for the program’s interest free, deferred loans to rehab their homes.
Homeowner Rehabilitation: Homeowners with a house that needs repairs or accessibility improvements may be eligible for financial assistance. If the property is located in Waukegan, please contact the City of Waukegan, as it administers its own Homeowner Rehabilitation Program.
If your home is located elsewhere in Lake County, please contact the Community Partners.
Contact for Affordable Housing Department for more information.
Home repair program: Eligible homeowners may receive up to $40,000 to make necessary life-safety, health and accessibility repairs and improvements.
Repairs can include but are not limited to roofing, windows & doors, heating & cooling, electrical, plumbing, lead Based Paint, mold and asbestos remediation, kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, foundation and structural repairs.
In Lake County, assistance is structured as a 0%-interest forgivable loan with no monthly payments.
In Evanston, grant assistance may be structured as a 0%-interest forgivable loan with no monthly payments or as loan, depending on the program.
Home Accessibility Program: Grants of up to $20,000 are available for homeowners and renters. At least 50% of the work needs to be accessibility-related; the remaining funds can be used for other life-safety and health repairs.
Assistance is structured as a 0%-interest forgivable loan with no monthly payments. Grants are forgiven 1/60th each month (fully forgiven after 5 years in the home).
Eligible improvements: ramps, lifts, accessibility improvements to kitchens and bathrooms, flooring, widening doorways, grab bars, and other accessibility, health and safety improvements.
Home Repairs: Madison County Community Development partners with IMPACT provide accessibility ramps for disable residents. Madison County Community Development partners with Senior Services Plus to provide a small home repair program to help senior homeowners remain in their homes.
The county also offer a Wheatarisation program to help homeowners save on their energy consumption.
Home Rehabilitation: The program assist low-income homeowners with Health, Safety, and accessibility issues in their home. Work cost under $3,000 qualify as no payment, no interest loans that will be forgiven over a five year recapture period. Work costing $3001 and over qualify as a no payment no interest deferred payment loan that must be paid in full upon the home’s sale.
Housing Rehabilitation Loans: The loans are available to income-qualified residents who are the owner/occupant of a single-family housing unit located within the city limits. Assistance is provided through a 0% interest, deferred payment loan up to $25,000.
Eligible repairs include but are not limited to structural and mechanical repairs, roof, windows, siding, gutters, electrical, plumbing, energy conservation and accessibility modifications. Housing issues affecting the health and safety of the occupants are addressed first.
The county’s organisation provide a home rehab for eligible residents.
Single Family Rehabilitation: The program offer up to $45,000 for critical home repairs that improve health and safety.
Home Accessibility: The program offer grants up to $25,000 to low-to-moderate income seniors and disabled residents in order to make home modifications and repairs, provided in many different forms and may include the addition of walk-in showers, installation of wheelchair ramps, fixing leaky roofs, and remodeling hallways and flooring for wheelchair access and more.
Housing Rehab: Programs address necessary repairs such as leaky roofs, plumbing issues, electrical problems, handicapped accessible bathrooms, and ramps.
This organisation also manage a weatherization program.
Weatherization Program: Eligible improvements are attic and wall insulation, caulking, glazing, weather stripping etc.) to income eligible clients based on income for the preceding twelve months for all members in the household. Furnace tune-ups, retrofits and repairs are included with dollar limits for all work done.
The county offer programs for homeowners.
Home rehabilitation assistance: Eligible homeowners can repair their homes and remove health and safety hazards by replacing costly maintenance items. Eligible homeowners may receive up to $45,000 in assistance as a five-year forgivable loan.
Health and Safety Rehabilitation: The program assist low to moderate-income owner-occupied households with housing rehabilitation to ensure a safe and hazard-free home.
Will County Center of Community Concerns
Home Rehabilitation: The programs cover home & safety repairs, accessibility improvements, roof repair & Replacement, energy efficiency improvements, environmental hazards, replace inoperable or inefficient appliances, structural improvements to home, electrical, plumbing, insulation, HVAC.
Single-Family Rehabilitation Roof Only: The program offer grants eligible homeowners a five-year forgivable loan to assist with the roof repair and to remove health and safety hazards.