Senior citizens can apply for government grants to pay for home repairs and renovations they cannot afford. Grants cover projects to upgrade living conditions and make homes safer and energy-efficient. Funds also cover repairs to make homes energy-efficient. Grants are available to property managers of buildings housing senior citizens for repairs as well. Recipients generally are not required to repay grants, but some programs recoup funds if they do not fulfill the grants' terms of agreements.
The Very Low-Income Housing Repair Program
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Seniors can apply for grants through The Very Low-Income Housing Repair Program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA. Grants are awarded to homeowners 62 and older to remove health and safety hazards from their homes. Funds also cover renovations and repairs needed after the removal of the hazards. Applicants must financially unable to afford loans to qualify as well. Grant amounts can reach $7,500. The grant program requires recipients to not sell their homes for at least 36 months. If homes are sold within the three-year period, recipients may have to repay their grants.
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Supportive Housing for the Elderly
The Supportive Housing for the Elderly program is funded by HUD and provides grants for renovating and repairing housing occupied by senior tenants. Grants finance the expansion of supportive housing for the elderly through real property acquisitions, demolishing inhabitable structures and constructing new buildings. Rent assistance is available to low-income seniors under this program as well.
Housing Preservation Grant Program
The USDA also sponsors the Housing Preservation Grant program. This program provides financial assistance to homeowners, landlords and co-op members in rural areas to repair and renovate homes occupied by low-income individuals and families. Applicants apply to nonprofit organizations and state and local government agencies that sponsors the grant program. Once grants are received, recipients have 24 months to exhaust funding.
Weatherization Grants
Low-income senior homeowners who need repairs done to make their homes energy-efficient can apply for weatherization services funded by the Department of Energy. Some of the projects covered under the weatherization program include replacing heating, cooling and electrical systems, insulating walls and attics and installing new windows. Weatherization services are provided free to low-income owners.