(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Loading...Louisiana has over 113 approved home improvement grants, home repairs grants and home upgrade programs available to low income homeowner families and individuals (most programs are based on income). This article provides you with all the main home repair programs offered throughout the state in 2024.
Who provide home improvement grants in Louisiana?
There are 4 main sources of financial assistance for home improvement and repair in Louisiana:
- 1- Federal Programs : HUD (Housing and Urban Development) is the Federal housing agency providing programs and funds to the State, its Counties and Cities.
- 2- State of LA Program : LA’s Housing Finance Authority has a program to help with home improvements.
- 3- Counties and cities programs : are the organizations offering funds and programs to help LA homeowners with home repair, home rehabilitation and home improvement.
- 4- Rural programs: are for people living outside of a major city in a rural area and are offered by the USDA.
You can review the Federal and the State of Louisiana home repair grants but ultimately your county and city are the ones you need to contact and where you apply for funding.
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
Every homeowner is eligible for home improvement and repairs grants and assistance in Louisiana (find them all in this article). In reality, because the needs are so big, some groups like seniors, veterans, disabled and low-income households are given priority. Even in those cases, you need to apply as soon as possible because funds are limited.
So it’s often first arrived on a 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.
Which home improvement & repair are covered?
In general, Louisiana’s have repair and improvement help to:
- – Ensure your home does not harm the residents’ health.
- – Ensure your home structure is sound and may not hurt its resident.
- – Help seniors and disabled residents stay in their homes longer and safer.
More precisely the following work and repair are usually covered by home improvement grants programs:
- – Roof: Government grants for free roof replacement or repair. See also our Guide to Roof Repairs.
- – Windows & doors: Louisiana window replacement program info is right below. We have also a Windows Replacement Guide
- – Foundations: Foundation repair grants and programs usually covers home foundation repairs.
- – Electrical & plumbing : Grants for electrical repair and plumbing assistance repairs are covered as long as they bring your home electrical and plumbing up to the local code.
- – Heating & cooling: Some States and Counties have heating grants and cooling programs to bring your system up to living standards.
- – Lead paints & pipes plus asbestos: Most programs cover the removal and change of lead and asbestos materials dangerous to your health.
- – Sewers and water line: Most home improvement grant programs cover funds to have your home connected to your town water and sewer system and in other cases to your well or septic tank.
- – Home structure: In some cases, if your home structure is no longer safe, programs will help with fixing the home structural problems. Note: in some cases the cost may be too high to fix and another program can help get a new one.
- – Home remodeling: 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.
- – Bathroom remodeling: Some programs let you remodel a bathroom in order to bring them to sanitary and health standard.
- – Home modifications for seniors: There are multiple programs to modify seniors’ homes to help them living longer independently at home. Common modification are ramps, handle bars, bathrooms modification and kitchen are adaptations. You can find those resources in our resource for senior home modifications.
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.
What are the types of home improvement help in Louisiana?
Home repair programs comes in many form but they are usually in the 5 types:
Home Repair Grants & Home Improvement Grants: Typically grants don’t need to be repaid. The organization providing the funding covers the cost of the work and you don’t pay anything back.
Volunteers and charities home repairs: Some organizations rely on volunteers to repair your home so there’s no cost to you.
Home improvement loans: These are traditional loans where you have to repay a fixed amount monthly but they are usually with a lower than normal interest rate.
Home improvement loans paid at term: It’s a traditional loan paid back in full only when you leave or sell your home. This means you have nothing to pay monthly. The organization offering these loans usually takes a lien on your home to be certain to be paid in the future.
Forgivable home improvement loans: It’s a traditional loan but you do have to pay it back monthly. Instead after a few years the organization forgives your loan.
Note: In some rare cases you may find yourself with a mix of the types above. In all cases the important thing is you get help to fix your home and keep it secured and a place for you to live in a safe and healthy home.
HUD (Urban Housing Department) (2 programs)
HUD is the federal agency funding the Louisiana’s Housing agencies in 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 Louisiana’s 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 Insurance: 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 loan: Projects less than $35,000.
- – Standard 203k loan: 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.
Louisiana Housing Corporation LHC (5 programs)
LHC is the main government organization funding home improvement programs in Louisiana. Its funding comes from the state and the Federal government. It’s 3 main home repair programs below are mostly managed at the Parish level by the cities, parish and local community organisations you’ll find below.
Provides grant funding to homeowners affected by 2020-21 Storms for home repairs, reconstruction, and/or reimbursement for repairs already completed. Managed by the Louisiana Office of Community Development and funding by both the State of Louisiana and Federal government.
Eligibility:
- – Owned and occupied home at time of disaster event and still maintain ownership through program final project inspection.
- – Damaged address was the applicant’s primary residence at the time of disaster.
- – Received a FEMA IA determination for repairs greater than $3,000.
- – Home must be an eligible structure type as described in the program guidelines, including single family homes, owner-occupied duplexes, mobile homes and condominiums.
- – Located in one of 47 disaster declared parishes.
Housing Preservation Grant: Program provides assistance to repair or rehabilitate housing for low and very low-income rural homeowners who reside in the following Parishes: Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Ibervillle, Livingston, and West Baton Rouge. Grant funds that will not exceed 6,500.
Eligible repairs include: Replacing Electrical Wiring, Roofing Repairs, HVAC Repairs, Plumbing, and Handicap Accessibility Features.
Weatherization (WAP): The program goals is to make your home energy efficient by saving on cooling and heating cost. It can include insulation installation, air sealing, weather-stripping, duct sealing, and other energy-saving measures.
| Spent per Home | Homes Weatherized | Budget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana |
$7,420 |
2,779 | $20M |
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps households with their home energy expenses and heating/cooling equipment repair/replacement assistance.Amounts given depends on your family income, number of residents at your address. There are dates to respect for applications.
LIHWAP is a federally funded program that helps households with their home water and wastewater bills. At the time of writing this resources, it is not clear where you need to apply. We recommend you apply at the same office as the LIHEAP program above.
Louisiana Rural Residents (1 program)
The USDA provide home improvement loans and government grants to low-income homeowners in Louisiana’s rural areas.
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.
Seniors and Elderly Help for Home Repairs
There are official elderly home repair assistance in Louisiana but they are not only for seniors. Seniors, just like all louisianans, are eligible to the same home improvement programs listed on this page.
You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find local programs for seniors home repairs and home modifications.
You can also find home modifications resources for seniors
Windows Replacement (4 programs)
We have a separate resource specifically for window replacement programs in Louisiana.
Statewide community organizations
Habitat for Humanity Louisiana (9 resources)
With 9 local organizations in Louisiana and its volunteers, Habitat provide help to low income, disable and elderly homeowners to fix their home. Find and contact your local Habitat organization.
Habitat ReStores Louisiana (7 resources)
ReStores provide discounted used and surplus building materials, plus appliances and furniture.
SBP USA (1 resource)
This organisation help Louisiana residents with rebuilding help after natural disasters: from rebuilding homes to help residents with know-how to appeal funding decisions (with FEMA for example).
Rebuilding Together (4 resources)
This organisation is active in 4 main area in the state: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Acadiana, Bayou. RT help homeowners repair and rebuild their homes with volunteers.
Community Action Agencies (42 resources)
Their local organisations can help with weatherization, LIHEAP plus home repair and rehab.
Find your local organization(s) here.Veteran Affair (1 program)
Home improvement & modification: Program provides medically necessary improvements and structural alterations to Veterans/Service members’ primary residence for $6,800.
Work purposes:
– Allowing entrance to or exit from the primary residence
– Use of essential lavatory and sanitary facilities (e.g. roll in showers)
– Allowing accessibility to kitchen or bathroom sinks or counters (e.g. lowering counters/sinks)
– Improving entrance paths or driveways in immediate area of the home to facilitate access to the home through construction of permanent ramping
– Improving plumbing or electrical systems made necessary due to installation of home medical equipment
Find more details and how to apply
Louisiana Counties and Cities Programs (41 programs)
Some Louisiana counties have approved home repair and government grant programs and most major cities also have similar help for homeowners. You can find most of them below.
If you don’t see your county or city below you should contact its housing or community affair department directly and ask them if the city have a home repair program. If you live in a rural area you can be eligible to the USDA home repair programs.
East Baton Rouge Parish (3 resources)
Rebuilding Together
Rebuilding Together help homeowners repair and rebuilt homes in Baton Rouge, and Bayou.
Habitat For Humanity of Greater Baton Rouge
Habitat presence in Baton Rouge help low income homeowners with home repairs.
City of Baton Rouge (1 program)
Midcity Redevelopment: Offer (among many programs) a home repair program for homeowners.
Jefferson Parish (1 program)
Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation: Provides up $60,000 in financial assistance (grant) to eligible low- and moderate-income homeowners who need to rehabilitate their home to bring substandard dwellings up to housing quality standards. The home must be a single-family dwelling and the applicant must have clear title to the property for at least one year.
City of Kenner (1 program)
Repair on Wheels Program: The program focus on elderly needs and includes minor home repairs such as replacement of door locks, broken windowpanes, leaking plumbing fixtures, home safety inspections, replacing switches, insulation of wall sockets and switches that are attached to an outside wall, the installation of grab bars and handheld shower heads, non-slip strips for tub/shower or stairs, the sealing of doors with sweeps, and the installation of weather stripping on windows, etc.
The program also deal with emergency repairs necessary to correct a code violation, prevent an eligible homeowner’s imminent displacement, and to mitigate further damage to a home (example: emergency roof or plumbing repair).
Orleans Parish (2 resources)
Rebuilding Together
RT provide home repairs for low income homeowners with a focus on residents 60 years or older, Disabled, veteran Single head of household in Orleans Parish.
Safe at Home Program includes:
- – Wheelchair Ramps
- – Steps, Landings and Handrails
- – Grab Bars
- – Bathroom and Kitchen Repairs
- – Widening Doorways
- – Proper Ventilation
- – Smoke Alarms
- Remove Tripping Hazards
Energy Efficiency:
- – Seal Air Leaks
- – Weatherize Doors
- – Insulate Attic
- – Glaze Windows
New Orleans Area HFH
Habitat New Orleans provides a variety of minor home repairs, interior, and exterior, based on deferred maintenance, acute damage, and daily wear and tear. This program helps low-income, elderly, and or disabled homeowners who may struggle to manage necessary repairs on their own. Home Repair Services volunteers will help homeowners with exterior painting, exterior handicap ramps and other accessibility needs, minor exterior repairs, yard clean-up & landscaping, and sidewalk repairs.
City of New Orleans (2 programs)
Revival Grants: Program helps both low-to moderate-income homeowners and to preserve the historic architecture and culture of our city’s oldest neighborhoods. Program only cover minor repairs to the exterior of each property.
Some eligible repairs:
- – Replacing inappropriate materials used for doors, windows, shutters, fences, etc.
- – Repairing or replacing damaged gutters, siding, trim work
- – Other violations to HDLC guidelines
Find eligibility details here.
Owner-Occupied Rehab: Program offer homeowners health and safety repairs on their home with a loan up to $35,000 for 10 years at a 0 percent interest rate with payments deferred and forgiven until the earlier of loan maturity, sale, transfer of ownership.
Eligible repairs: priority is to address issues pertaining to Health and Life safety, Accessibility, Deferred Maintenance and Home Exterior Improvements (it’s not a home remodeling program).
St. Tammany Parish (2 resources)
St. Tammany West HFH
Habitat St. Tammany West provides a variety of minor home repairs, interior, and exterior.
East St. Tammany HFH
Habitat East St. Tammany provides a variety of minor home repairs, interior, and exterior.
Lafayette Parish (3 programs)
Rebuilding Together
RT Lafayette provide home repairs for low income homeowners with a focus on residents 60 years or older, Disabled, veteran, Single head of household in Lafayette Parish.
Lafayette HFH
Habitat Lafayette provides a variety of minor home repairs, interior, and exterior.
City of Lafayette (8 programs)
Housing rehabilitation: Program enable you to bring your home up to code by offering a deferred payment loan up to $50,000. After 15 years the loan is forgiven.
Minor housing rehab: The programs help homeowners maintain their homes, improve their life in their home and preserve the neighborhood. Approved application are given a min of $2,500.
More details about both programs above here.
Roof repair/replacement: Up to $7,500 to repair or replace your roof, incluing sofit and fascia. Handicap accessibility: Up to $15,000 including ramps and bathroom improvements.
Painting assitance: Up to $7,500 to clean, paint and do minor carpentry work to exteriors.
Electrical panel box: Up to $7,500 to replace youir breaker pannel, meter base and service pipe.
Bathroom rehab: Up to $7,500 to redo damaged bathroom.
Sewer & sepctic system: Up to $4,000 to repair, replace and maintain your existing septic system to Health Department approved systems.
Safety improvement: Help add handrails, grab bars, replacement of concrete steps, adding smoke and carbon detectors.
Energy Efficiency: Repair or replacement of windows screens, weather stripping, and adding insulation to the attic.
Details and contact info on the brochure link on this page.
Caddo Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
City of Shreveport (6 programs)
Emergency Repair : Program is a one-time Emergency Assistance Grant and can’t be used for Mobile Homes of Life Estates. The maximum grant is pp to $5,000. Your home must present an imminent threat to owner/occupants health, safety, and/or welfare (this is not for remodeling). Grants are allocated on first-come, first served Basis.
Rehabilitation Assistance: Programs are available to repair sub-standard properties to minimum housing quality standards that meet code requirements. Loans and loan + grant combinations are available to applicants according to the program guidelines such as credit, income, and debt / income ratios.
There are 4 types of rehab programs:
Minor Repair: Program addresses minor repairs that create danger to the health and safety of the household. (ie: plumbing, specifically, water leaks, exposed raw sewerage, hot water heaters, and gas leaks). This does not address ongoing care of premises and maintenance issues.
Major Systems Repair: Program addresses repairs to the major systems in a house that is reasonably stable, but have inoperable or failing systems (i.e.: electrical, roof, heating ventilation, air conditioning, foundation (pier and beam only), inclusive of floor joists, seals, leveling, and sub-floor repairs). Applications are accepted only during the month of August if there is not a waiting list.
Paint Your Heart Out Shreveport
Handicap Accessibility
More details about the programs above here.
Calcasieu Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and the local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
City of Lake Charles (1 program)
Major Homeowner Rehabilitation: You can find more information about this programs, eligibility and income limits with on the program pdf.
Ouachita Parish (1 program)
HFH of North Louisiana
Habitat of North Louisiana provides a variety of minor home repairs: interior and exterior.
Monroe City (1 program)
Housing Rehab & Reconstruction: The program is still quite vague but you can find contact information and application process here.
Livingston Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and the local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
Tangipahoa Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and the local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
Ascension Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and the local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
Bossier Parish (0 program)
No parish program. See the State and the local Community organisations (above) for local programs.
Bossier City (2 programs)
Single Family Housing Rehabilitation: Purpose of this program is to bring a home up to local and federal housing quality standards $1000 to 24,999.
Emergency Housing Rehabilitation: must pose an imminent and extreme threat to life, health, safety, or one in which at any moment lives may be in jeopardy because of a code violation.
More details on both programs above are here.
Rapides Parish (1 program)
Rapides HFH
Habitat Rapides provides a variety of minor home repairs: interior and exterior.
Alexandria City (2 programs)
Minor Rehab: Program assist low income qualified recipients with repairs to their homes to improve their living condition and extend the usable life of their home. It allocated 50% of all awards to Senior Citizens over the age of 55 years old. Contact info and program flyer is available on county site. For roofs only $10K if in the floodplain; $15K if not in the floodplain. Call 318-473-1184 to confirm whether or not your address is in the floodplain.
Eligible work:
- – Roof replacement
- – Electrical repairs : new breaker panel, new light fixtures, new switches, new smoke detectors, etc.
- – Plumbing repairs: new plumbing fixtures (tub, toilet, sinks, faucets)
- – Mechanical repairs: new heating an cooling units and duct work
- – Carpentry repairs, new insulation attic, new doors, new windows, new handicap ramp, repair porch, handrails, caulking & weather-stripping, etc.
Lead Reduction: Program assist low income qualified recipients with lead testing and lead abatement services for houses built before 1978. Households with children under the age of 6, who stay in the house a minimum of six hours a week, have priority.
Both programs details can be found here.
Terrebonne Parish (1 program)
Housing Rehabilitation: assist low income families in maintaining decent, safe, sanitary, and energy efficient housing by rehabilitating substandard single family dwellings to meet local standards and environmental requirements.
Funding: applicants will receive a one-time deferred loan (grant) and a mortgage will be placed on the property for a minimum of 5 years.
Lafourche Parish (1 resource)
Bayou Area HFH
Habitat Bayou provides a variety of minor home repairs: interior and exterior.
St. Landry Parish (1 program)
Single-Family Housing Repair: The program is offer loans and grants program from the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program. Since it’s a new Parish program you need to call their Community Outreach Office for information at 337-948-3688, ext. 1815, or visit the parish offices in the St. Landry Parish Courthouse at 118 South Court Street, Suite 133 in Opelousas.