MyFinancialPrograms

Home Improvement Grants for Seniors

VERY IMPORTANT: There are some programs for seniors only (like home modifications) but seniors are eligible to ALL home improvement grant programs, regardless of their age. All the information is below.

What are seniors home improvement grants?

Senior Home Repair Grants Programs, sometimes called Minor Home Repair Programs or housing rehabilitation programs, offer a variety of free home repair services to assist low income senior homeowners to remain safely and independent in their own homes. In order to qualify for these programs, elderly and senior citizens applicants must meet strict criteria such as being over a certain age and income.

These minor home repair program helps seniors homeowner stay longer in their homes because:

• – Older people often don’t have the physical stamina and strength they once had.

• – Home repairs can be very costly.

• – Falls are a major cause of injury among older adults.

These programs help keep older adults out of hospitals, reduce nursing home stays and generally improve quality of life for elders.

What are eligible repairs?

This not an complete list but all necessary repair making your home safer, healthy and up to your local standards:

Roof repair, electrical repair, plumbing repair, foundation repair, mold or lead removal, fixing stairs, floors, windows and doors, etc.

What are the types of home modification for seniors?

There are four main areas to focus on when planning a home modification:

• – Easy entry and access to the home.
• – Bath and shower modifications.
• – Kitchen modifications
• – General home modifications that improve mobility, safety and quality of life

How do I know if I am eligible for home repair assistance for elderly?

You are eligible for home repair assistance if you have a disability, are age 60 or older, and meet income requirements. Here are some more specific questions to ask yourself:

• – Do I live in a county where this program is offered? If not, call your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) or county office or senior center to find out what programs are available in your area.
• – Do I own my own home? If not, contact your local AAA to see if they know of any programs that can help renters with repairs.
• – Am I age 60 or older? If so, excellent! You already qualify for one of the eligibility requirements.
• – Do I have a disability that qualifies me according to the ADA definition? You can find out by calling your state’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) State Unit on Aging.
• – Does my household income meet the low income threshold for my area? The people managing the program(s) can tell you.

Should I hire a contractor or attempt to do the repairs myself?

There is no hard and fast rule here. If you are in doubt about taking on a particular job, hire a professional. It is better to be safe than sorry. Hiring a professional does not necessarily mean hiring a contractor for every project around the house; it just means contacting someone who can perform the work properly so as to avoid serious harm to yourself or others, or significant damage to your home.

If you decide that you want to do the work yourself, then go ahead and do it. There are many projects that require little more than common sense and practical skills (which most of us have in abundance).

In general, if you have tools, time and energy, you should be able to tackle most small jobs yourself: caulking windows and doors, some painting inside, replacing faucets or switches.

If you have time but not tools, consider borrowing tools from friends or renting them from tool rental agencies. These agencies will also teach you how to use the equipment safely if necessary-a valuable service when working on unfamiliar equipment such as power saws and lifts.

What are available funding resources?

There are many resources available, and they are divided in 4 main sources:

1. 1- Federal Programs : HUD (Housing and Urban Development) is the Federal housing agency providing programs and funds to the State, Counties and cities.
2. 2- State Programs : Each state have a Housing  Agency offering programs and funds to Counties and cities.
3. 3- Counties and cities programs : The main organizations offering funds and programs to help seniors with home repair, rehabilitation and improvement are at your county and city level.
4. 4- Agency on Aging (local): Your local Agency on Aging can provide you with lots of information. One of them is information about home repair and home modification programs for elderly. Contact them for more info.

You can review the Federal and the State programs but ultimately your county and city are the one you need to contact and where you apply for funding.

HUD (Urban Housing Department) 

States Housing Agencies (52 programs)

Your State Housing Agency usually have a home repair program eligible to seniors. They also usually have a home modification program for senior homeowners.

Verify with your state housing agency for their home repair program or home modification program.

Programs by County & City (100s of programs)

Most major counties have home repair and home modification programs AND most major cities also have similar help for senior homeowners.

Verify with your county or city: you should contact them directly and ask them if the city have a home repair program or home modification program for seniors.

What happens if my request for financial assistance is denied?

Don’t give up. It’s easy to feel discouraged when you are denied financial for home repair or modification, but there are other opportunities for help. Even if your request is denied, you may be able to get some of the assistance you need by appealing the decision or applying elsewhere.

Check eligibility requirements and other available resources in your area. To be eligible for financial assistance from many organizations, you must meet certain income guidelines, have a specific type of disability or show that the repair or modification is critical to safety and prevents falls. Other organizations may require loans rather than grants and have different restrictions on what types of repairs they will fund.

Find out why your request was denied. Understanding why your application was turned down can help you with future requests or when filing an appeal. Contact the organization to see if they will discuss their decision with you over the phone, in person or via email.

If denied, file an appeal. Most state agencies allow applicants to file an appeal within 30 days of receiving notice that their aid has been denied; check with your state agency for more information about its appeals process.* If possible, apply again at a later date if circumstances change.* Keep trying! Don’t give up if one application is turned down. Your financial situation could change sooner than expected or another organization may approve your assistance request.