USDA Section 504 Home Repair Grants for Homeowners 62 and Older

What this program is, in plain English

If you are 62 or older, own and live in your home, and your home is in a rural area as USDA defines it, you can get a grant of up to $10,000 to fix things that are dangerous or unhealthy: a bad roof, no working heat, failing wiring, a septic problem, or the lack of a safe bathroom. A grant is not a loan. You do not repay it, as long as you stay in the home for three years. Under 62, the same program offers a very low-interest loan instead. Many small towns and edges of suburbs count as rural under USDA's definition, so check your address on their map before assuming you do not qualify.

What you actually get

A grant of up to $10,000 for health and safety repairs, or a 1 percent loan of up to $40,000, or a combination of both.

Who qualifies

• You are 62 or older.
• Income limit: Not yet verified — call to confirm
• Income limit is 50% of area median income, not a poverty-level percentage. Recorded here for structure only; see the notes field.
• Household income must be below 50% of the area median income. Grants are limited to applicants 62 and older who cannot repay a loan.

What to have ready

• Proof of age
• Deed or proof of ownership
• Proof of income
• Property tax and insurance records
• Contractor estimates

How to apply

This program is run by USDA Rural Development. Most decisions take Several months.