Loading...Kentucky has over 125 home improvement grants, home repairs grants and resources available to lower income homeowner families and individuals as well as some programs for higher incomes. This article provides you with all the main home repair programs offered throughout the state in 2025.
Updated: January 1, 2025
We understand budgeting for home repairs can be hard. Lots of Kentuckians homeowners have to postpone them according to our Kentucky Major Home Repair Survey, and more than half delay repairs for financial reasons:
- 34% of Kentucky homeowners have to postpone repairs.
- 49% of those homeowners delay repairs for financial reasons.
So you’re not alone. The programs below will help you find those funds for your home.
Who provide grants for home repairs in Kentucky?
There are 5 main sources of financial assistance for home improvement and repair in Kentucky:
- 1– Federal : HUD (Housing and Urban Development) funds to the State, Counties and cities.
- 2– State of Kentucky : Kentucky Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) offers funds to Counties, cities and non profit for home repairs in Kentucky.
- 3– Rural: Residents living in rural areas can apply to State, County and they also have a specific program only for them with the USDA: $26M provided this year.
- 4– Community Organisations: Many non profit organizations help (among other services) homeowners who can’t afford urgent repairs to their home.
- 5– Counties and cities programs : The main organizations offering funds ($64M) for homeowners.
You can review the Federal and the State of Kentucky home repair grants but ultimately your county and city, and community organizations, are the one you need to contact and where you apply for funding.
The important thing to keep it mind it that most programs can help with a broad range of home repairs. For example, there’s not only 1 roof program but many programs can help with roof repairs. That’s why we created the projects summary below.
Jump to a project:
| Window (8) | Heating & HVAC (9) |
| Roof (7) | Foundation (7) |
| Electrical (7) | Bathroom (6) |
| Plumbing (7) | Remodel (7) |
| Sewer & water (5) | Asbestos & lead (5) |
Jump to a group:
| Seniors (9) | City & suburb (9) |
| Disabled (9) | Rural (5) |
| Veterans (7) |
FAQ
Can I get a $10,000 grant for home improvement?
What free government grants for homeowners for repairs exist?
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
Confused about home improvement programs terms?
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
In general all homeowners are eligible for home improvement and repairs grants and assistance in Kentucky (find them all below). In reality, because the needs are so big, some groups like seniors, veterans, disabled 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 program has their own eligibility, so you need to verify with programs in your area to see info you meet the income eligibility level.
Programs’ general eligibility by income and locations:
| Cities & Suburbs | Rural | |
|---|---|---|
| Low income | HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters, Community Organisations, | USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters, Community Organisations, |
|
Medium/High income |
Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters, HUD | USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters. |
Important reminder: Programs such as cities or counties assistance programs determine eligibility based on the median income in your area. This means that even if you have a moderate income, you might qualify for these programs if you live in a wealthier area. In other words, it’s better to verify your edibility with each programs first before thinking you won’t be able to receive funding for your project.
More Home Repair & Renovation Tips:
Funding Urgent Repairs : Find out how to quickly pay home repairs.
Common Home Repair Cost : Get an idea of the costs for common repairs.
Home Improvement Guide : Your complete guide to planning your next project.
Funding Home Improvements : Learn about financing options to support your renovation.
More Home Improvement & Repair Resources.
Can I get a $10,000 grant for home improvement?
Can you get a $10,000 grant for home improvement? Quick answer is yes. Find on this page all the information you need for home improvement programs by the State of Kentucky, by cities and by counties. Learn: how much they provide, if you’re eligible and where to apply.
Which free government grants for homeowners for repairs exist?
In general in Kentucky repair grants for homeowners can help with:
- – Make sure your home does not harm the residents’ health.
- – Make sure your home structure is sound and may not hurt its resident.
- – Help renovate or repair some major part(s) of your home.
- – Help seniors and disabled residents stay in their homes longer and safer.
Windows (8 programs)
Windows can be very expensive in Kentucky. Broken windows, no longer opening, warped frame, drafty and leaking air are a few among many common signs homeowners’ windows need repair or replaced. Need basic tips for new windows? Take a look at the Windows Repair Guide for common window problems.
Window programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, WAP, Community Organisations, Disasters
Window programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, WAP, Community Organisations, Disasters
Window programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Window programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Roof (7 programs)
Kentucky’ storm debris and damages, roof at the end of their lifespan, hail and wind are always signs of big expenses when it comes to a Kentucky home roofs. Not everyone have a big amount available at any time to fix or replace its roof.
Need tips on about roof problems? See our Guide to repair or change your roof.
Once it’s time to find a roofer, our community selection of Kentucky’ best roofers can help.
Roof help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Roof help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Roof help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Roof help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Foundation repair assistance (7 programs)
Cracks, uneven settling/heaving, soil conditions and drainage system issues are the most common problems requiring foundation repair.
Foundation help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Foundation help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Electrical & plumbing assistance (7 programs)
Electrical: Faulty wiring, circuit breaker problems, and electrical panel issues are major concerns.
Plumbing: Leaky pipes, water heater malfunctions, and clogged drains are common plumbing problems.
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Heating & cooling, HVAC assistance (9 programs)
Furnace, boiler and HVAC malfunctions, thermostat problems, and duct work leaks cause heating issues while AC compressor failures, refrigerant leaks, and airflow restrictions are major cooling problems.
Furnace and hvac programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Furnace and hvac programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Furnace and hvac programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Furnace and hvac programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Asbestos, lead paints & pipes removal (5 programs)
Lead paint and asbestos in are still one of the main health hazard in older homes. Removing them is costly and most local governments have a program to help homeowners removing this hazard.
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Sewer & water line repair or replacement (5 programs)
Fortunately frequent but replacing water line or sewers pipes is very costly. The programs below can help fund this repair or replacement depending of your income and where you live.
Water and sewer programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Water and sewer programs lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Home remodeling incentives (7 programs)
In some cases a home can be remodeled if they need major repairs as long as the cost is not prohibitive. Since the total amount vary by program you have to verify on this page for programs in your area.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Bathroom remodel assistance (6 programs)
The programs’ goal is to bring bathroom to sanitary and health standards. Improving the bathroom finishing can be done with your own funds or a loan.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Home modifications for disabled (9 programs)
Having a disability create issues in a home. Most funding resources let you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, doorways enlargement, are all covered by accessibility programs.
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Home modifications for Seniors (9 programs)
Most programs help you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer as a senior. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, are all covered by home adaptation programs for seniors.
Local Area Agency on Aging can also often help with some repairs.
You can find resources below and the curated resource for senior home modifications.
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Cities and suburbs homeowners (9 programs)
Living in a city is often more expensive and there are home improvement programs available to city and suburbs homeowners.
Home repair programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations
Home improvement for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Home Improvement Loans
Rural Homeowners (4 programs)
Homeowners in rural areas have to rely on less external resources but there are still resources available to them for home repair and improvements.
Rural homeowner with a lower income:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Rural homeowner with a medium and higher income:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Disasters: FEMA in Kentucky (10s if resources)
When the Federal Agency FEMA declare some area(s) of Kentucky a disaster area, the area’s residents can then apply for financial aid.
You can find if your area is declared a disaster area by FEMA here then if it is, claim disaster assistance with the federal government. If you’re impacted by a disaster, you may be able to claim housing, financial, food, medical, etc.
SBA (4 programs)
Veterans Home Repair & Rehab (7 programs)
The VA provide grants and VA renovation loans to adapt their housing to their needs when they have a disability. And naturally, veterans are also eligible to all existing home improvement programs:
Veteran with a lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Veteran with a lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
HUD (Urban Housing Department) (2 programs)
HUD is the federal agency funding the Kentucky’ Housing agencies, its counties and cities. HUD have many programs from home buyer help, renter help, homeowners funding among many for home repairs and improvements.
2 loans programs helps people renovate, rehabilitate or improve their home (mobile homes included). Both are loan insurances for Kentucky homeowners who couldn’t otherwise get a loan:
Rehabilitation and repair loan (insurance): Known as “Title I Property Improvement Loan Program”, it helps you if you have not enough equity for a traditional loan, and the FHA (part of HUD) insure your loan for your lender.
- – House Loan amount limit: $25,000
- – Mobile home Loan amount limit: $25,090
203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage: This a special FHA loan that allows you to finance both the purchase or refinancing of a house and the cost of renovations into a single mortgage.
- – Limited 203k: Projects less than $35,000.
- – Standard 203k: Projects over $35,000.
In both Tittle 1 and 203(k), the money for the renovations is put in an escrow account and is only released to the contractor when the work is completed and inspected by a qualified professional. This helps ensure that the renovations are done properly and that the money is used for its intended purpose. It protects both the lender and you the homeowner.
Kentucky AHTF (1 program)
AHTF provides home repair and home improvement funding with 1 home repair program offered through cities, counties and local non-profits.
Home Repair Program
Purpose: To stabilize the residences of low-income homeowners with essential repairs to keep or make their home habitable
Funding: $15,000 per home minus 7.5 percent of the total cost of repair work in administration for the local partner (maximum administration fee is $1,125).
Eligibility: Single-family detached homes or manufactured homes; home must be the homeowner’s primary residence
Income: Homeowners with combined household income at or below 60% Area Median Income (AMI) and on-home assets valued at no more than $50,000.
Homeownership: The applicant must own and occupy the home that needs repairs.
Type of Repairs: Repairs that are necessary to bring a home up to KHC’s Minimum Habitability Standards. When a household member is disabled, accessibility adaptations are also eligible.
Application Process: The program is administered through local entities like cities, counties, or nonprofit organizations that receive AHTF funding. Homeowners must apply through these local partners, and funding is typically limited, so priority may be given based on the severity of the home’s condition.
Target Population: The program is especially beneficial for elderly homeowners, persons with disabilities, and low-income families living in rural areas or small communities.
Community Organizations (59 programs)
Community Action agencies (23 programs)
These non-profit organisations offer many services to Kentucky residents. One of them is home repairs and the other is weatherization.
Both programs usually reply on state, county and federal funding to provide help at no or minimal cost.
Habitat for Humanity (32 programs)
Thanks to their volunteers, Habitat is a non-profit and among the biggest charities in Kentucky. Habitat rehabilitates houses for families and people in need. They 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.
Habitat for Humanity ReStores (4 resources)
ReStores provide discounted used, surplus building materials, appliances and furniture.
Veterans Home Repair & Rehabilitation (1 program)
Veterans Affairs Kentucky Loan Center offer loans and grants to qualifying veterans to adapt existing dwelling to meet specific needs up to $100,000 for a loan and up to $20,000 for a grant.
Kentucky Rural Residents (1 program)
The USDA provide home improvement loans and government grants for home repairs to low-income homeowners in rural areas. This program is also known as the “Section 504 Home Repair Program“.
KY homeowner amounts:
Grant (average): $8,130
Loan (average): $6,750
Who may apply for this program?
To qualify, you must:
- – Be the homeowner and occupy the house
- – Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
- – Have a family income below 50 percent of the area median income
- – For grants, be age 62 or older and not be able to repay a repair loan
What is an eligible area?
Applicants may check the address of their home to determine eligibility.
How may funds be used?
- Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize housing or remove health and safety hazards
- Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards
How much money can I get?
- – Maximum loan is $40,000
- – Maximum grant is $10,000
- – Loans and grants can be combined for up to $50,000 in payment assistance
What are the terms of the loan or grant?
- – Loans can be repaid over 20 years
- – Loan interest rate is fixed at 1%
- – Full title service is required for loans of $7,500 or more
- – Grants have a lifetime limit of $7,500
- – Grants must be repaid if the property is sold in less than 3 years
- – If applicants can repay part, but not all of the costs, applicants may be offered a loan and grant combination
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.
Weatherization Assistant Program
WAP is funded by the Federal but managed locally. It help improve or change, among other things, windows for energy efficient ones at no cost. It also pay for attic insulation and ventilation, repair or replace broken heating, cooling and water heaters, as well as many other small work to improve your home energy efficiency.
| Spent per Home | Homes Weatherized | Budget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky |
$7,756 |
3,913 | $30M |
Find the program detail and contact your local organisation managing WAP.
LIHEAP
This program is mostly to help pay your heating and cooling cost but it may also help fix, repair or replace broken windows for energy efficient ones.
Find more info about the program eligibility and your local organisation managing LIHEAP
Home Repair for Senior Citizen Free Programs
There are official eligible free home repairs for senior citizens Kentucky but they are not only for seniors. Seniors, just like all Kentuckians, are eligible to the same home repair programs listed on this page.
Question: Are home repair for senior citizens free?
Answer: Yes, usually, but it’s often different for each program. Some programs are 100% free while some others require a contribution. In most cases they are free if the senior has a low income. You will find those programs and your eligibility on this page.
Question: Need modification to your home because of your age?
Answer: You can contact your local Area Agency on Aging to learn about home modifications programs for seniors (they often have home repairs programs for seniors).
You can also find specific home modification programs for seniors here.
Programs by County & City (44 programs)
Most Kentucky counties have approved home repair and government grant programs and most major cities also have similar help for homeowners. Cities and counties received over $64M ($43M CDGB + $21M HOME) last fiscal year to help residents with various programs.
Find your county or city web site and look for the housing or community development department, programs are usually managed by 1 of those 2 departments. Once you find them, you will see contact information and you can call them to know if they’ve 1 or more programs that could help you. They may also be able to refer you to other local resources helping homeowners.
Confused about home improvement programs terms?
It can be confusing to understand the terms. Lots of different organizations have different words for the same type of help programs: home improvement grant, home repair grants, programs, free grants, relief service, repair assistance, etc. They are all synonyms of programs designed to help low and moderate income homeowners repair and fix important element of their house.