For millions of Americans, home repairs are cost-prohibitive. Living on a tight budget can mean there’s nothing left to repair essential home systems. Organizations that recognize this need are stepping up and providing home repair relief.
Home repair relief can help to make homes safer, more livable, and help to keep the residents from becoming homeless. Finding options for affordable home repair or ways to afford home repair can be a challenge, however, there are organizations that can help.
Taking a Loan
Low-income homeowners may not be eligible for completely free home repair relief, but they may qualify for a low-interest loan. There are some government programs that can help provide home repair relief in the form of loans:
- HUD Title 1 is a loan that the Department of Housing and Urban Development backs but does not actually fund. Homeowners are encouraged to apply through lenders to secure the cash that they need to make upgrades and home repairs. How is this a home repair relief opportunity? The interest rates are very low, and there is some wiggle room when it comes to your creditworthiness.
- An FHA approved lender may provide you with a rehabilitation loan. The 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance loan can be used to replace heating systems and make other repairs. The loan can be taken before you move into the property.
- The Section 504 loan is an option for elderly homeowners living on a fixed budget. This loan can help to pay for repairs that are required to protect safety and health. For example, if your septic tank pumping is not working and you need to replace your septic tank, this loan may help.
- Veteran homeowners may be able to get a loan from the VA. The Veterans Administration backs rehabilitation and renovation loans. Of course, this program is only open to veteran homeowners.
- Home modification loans for seniors and those that are disabled. Let’s say you depend on a lift to get you up your stairs and it requires some hydraulic pump repair, there are loans available to make those repairs. Other modification costs can also be covered with a home modification loan. Installing ramps, making kitchens and baths more wheelchair friendly, and other modifications can be covered.
Of course, for some people, the idea of having to take a loan is not really home repair relief because they do not have the funds to pay the loan back. That is understood. There are other organizations that offer grants that can help to get a home in good shape. A grant is a sum of money that can be used to make repairs that you do not have to pay back.
How do you find organizations that can help with free home repair relief? There are likely groups right in your own area that are ready, willing, and able to help people get their house in shape.
Free Help With Home Repair Relief
Before we get started listing the organizations that may be able to help you get the free home repair relief that you need to make sure your home is a safe environment, keep in mind that every organization has a different set of rules. Some organizations have an age requirement, other organizations have an age and income requirement, and some organizations only help the elderly or veterans or the disabled. You may have to do some leg work and call around to find an organization that is a good match for your situation.
Here are some of the bigger name organizations that are well-known for lending a hand for home repair relief:
- Habitat for Humanity is likely a name you recognize. Habitat for Humanity is often associated with new home builds, but many chapters across the country also do renovations and repairs. Each chapter makes its own rules. If you can put in some sweat equity and manage some of the work on your own, you likely can tap into this great organization for home repair relief. They are certainly worth a call.
- Rebuilding Together is another well-known organization that may be able to provide you with home repair relief for free. This great group has a network of tradesman throughout the United States that volunteer their time and resources to keep homes in a safe condition for local communities. Everything from HVAC service to full rehabilitation is available through Rebuilding Together. Visit their website or give them a call to find if there is a local chapter nearby.
- Volunteers of America may be able to help with home repair relief. This group provides a litany of services for low-income families and likely will have some experts on hand that can help to do things that you may be having a hard time financing around the house, like fixing your residential garage doors or replacing them.
- If you are older, another option is contacting the National Resource Center on Supportive Housing and Home Modification. This group is focused on helping the elderly age in the home. They can provide resources to the elderly for getting home modifications for free.
- Did you know that your local Home Depot might be a great source for home repair relief? The Home Depot Foundation is an organization that gives back to the local community by helping homeowners keep their properties looking great.
Each of the above organizations helps thousands of homeowners each year get the support that they need to make repairs to their homes, but the “big name” organizations are not the only place that you can find home relief repair for free.
Many community and civic groups are looking for projects and ways they can help in their own community. Church groups are often willing to dedicate a weekend or two to help out. You may have to cover some of the costs, like dumpster rentals to hold the debris, but you can get a lot of free labor by simply asking.
Safety Needs Take Priority
Most organizations that are willing to help you will have a priority list. In other words, people that are in real danger because of their living conditions are going to go to the top of the list. There is a difference between need and want when it comes to home repairs.
There is more help available for the truly life-threatening safety issues, like going without heat because your heating system has broken down than there is to have custom doors installed because you want them.
Consider this, the wants are likely something you will have to take a loan for, the needs you will likely be able to find an organization to help with. Keep in mind that there is a huge demand for these organizations to help people with home repair relief so you may face some wait time, but again, if your living situation is dangerous that will move you to the top of the list.
Another factor besides safety that will affect how long your wait is, is the size of the repairs. For example, if you have a simple erosion control problem that is causing your basement to flood, you may get the erosion problem repaired first then the basement work done at a later date.
Easy repairs are often squeezed in, often in between bigger projects. The more complex the repairs are, the more likely your repairs will be done in bits and pieces, simply because the organization does not have the manpower to accomplish everything at once.
Each case is different and each case is evaluated based on a set of criteria that is decided on by the organization. Sometimes you have to be patient while decisions are being made about what home repair relief the organization can provide. You may find that everything on your list of needs will be addressed and in other cases, you may find that only the most pressing needs will be addressed.
For example, let’s say your heating system is on the fritz and you have been told it needs to be replaced. The organization may not have the means to replace your heating system right now, but they may have someone that can provide welding service to make the necessary repairs and patch it up to get you through the season and give you time to come up with the money to replace the system. These organizations that provide home repair relief are stretched thin and sometimes they have to say “no” when they really want to say “yes”. In most cases, they will do whatever they can to help out.
If you want to further the odds that you will get the home repair relief that you need, meet these organizations at least part of the way. What can you do to get some of the repairs done on your own? Do you have family members that are willing to contribute some time and muscle to the cause? If you can take on some of the burden yourself and earn the help, it may bode well on your application.
One of the best ways to ensure that you get the help that you need from any organization is to invest whatever you can on your own and be as honest as you can on your application. Whether you can pay out of pocket $5 or $500, be sure that you mention that. It is always a lot easier to help people that are trying their best to help themselves.
Think Outside the Box
What if you cannot find a loan or cannot find an organization in your area that is willing to help? Then it is time to think outside the box and ask for help from unexpected potential helping sources. Call your local social services agency and explain your situation. Inquire about any community grants that are available. Many municipalities do have grants for rehabilitating a property. All you can do is be told no. But for the price of a phone call, you may be able to find some home repair relief.
Tap into community organizations like Senior Citizen Clubs, Kiwanis, Rotary Clubs, Moose Lodges, and other groups. Call, explain your situation, and ask for some volunteers to help you make the repairs. Call your local community college and reach out to their building tech programs and again, explain your situation and ask for help. Many colleges will offer credits to their students for volunteering, which can be a win-win situation. Call your local college sororities and fraternities and ask if they have any programs.
Once you have rounded up some volunteer labor, consider calling suppliers and explaining your situation and asking for discounts or donations for parts and supplies. If you can save even 20% on air compressor parts for your HVAC, that can be a nice saving. You can use the savings to buy lunch for your volunteers.
Do You Want to Help Others?
If you are interested in helping someone find home repair relief, you can make a big difference in someone’s life. Whether you are a skilled craftsperson or you have a few dollars to donate, there are plenty of opportunities available.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Volunteer your services. If you have a skill set, like being able to repair HVAC systems, lay tile, paint, or anything that can provide home repair relief, volunteer. You can offer your services on your own pro bono or you can align with one of the well-known organizations like Habitat for Humanity. A weekend of your time can make a huge difference in someone’s life.
- Start a group. If there are no organizations in your area that focus their energies on helping people find home repair relief, consider starting one. It only takes a handful of people to do great things and make tremendous changes.
- Do what you can. Maybe you do not have the capabilities to swing a hammer or make repairs, but there may be other ways to help like buying supplies and donating them.
The more people who get involved, the better the community becomes. Helping your neighbors find the home repair relief that they need to have a safe environment to live in is tremendously rewarding. Everyone can pitch in something and make sure that people have a safe place to live.
