Need Help Paying for Home Repairs in Michigan? There Are Programs That Can Help!

Home repairs are a necessary but expensive part of owning a home. For Michigan homeowners who qualify, there are grants and low-interest loans that can help cover home repairs, updates, and renovations that improve the home and, by extension, the neighborhood and the larger community.

Here, we’ve rounded up a variety of loans and grants for home repairs in Michigan, along with the requirements for each program and where to find the application. We’ve also included tips for how to find programs in your specific county or city.

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Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development offers Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in Michigan. This program is also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program. It provides low-interest home loans to low-income homeowners so they can repair, improve, and modernize their homes. To qualify, homeowners must meet income requirements, and the property must be in an eligible rural area.

Homeowners who qualify for low-income loans can receive a maximum loan of $40,000 with a 1% fixed interest rate and a 20-year term length. Homeowners at least 62 years old who meet the income limits can apply for a grant with a lifetime limit of $10,000.

Requirements:

• Applicant must be the homeowner and occupy the house
• Applicant must be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
• Household income must be within the very low income limit
• For grants, applicant must be age 62 or older and not able to repay a repair loan

Apply through your local Rural Development office.

Revive (Neighborhood Impact Program)

The Revive Home Repair Grant, formerly known as the Neighborhood Impact Program (NIP) through the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) Indianapolis participating member institutions, for example, offer subsidies up to $15,000 to complete eligible home rehabilitation or repair projects. You can check with your bank to see if they offer the Revive Home Repair Program.

Requirements:

• Have total household income less than or equal to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) based on household size
• Existing mortgage and property taxes must be current and paid as agreed
• Must sign an acknowledgment identifying the contractor(s) used for the repairs
• Recipients should have only one Bank grant of any kind for the same property in a five-year period unless prior grants have been repaid or their retention period has expired

Aside from deferred maintenance repairs, Revive – Home Repair Grant can also be used for accessibility modifications and upgrades, which used to be covered under FHLBank Indianapolis’ Accessibility Modifications Program (AMP).

Visit the Revive program site to view the full requirements.

Habitat for Humanity Home Preservation Program

The Habitat for Humanity Home Preservation Program offers home repairs for low-income homeowners who need help with home maintenance due to either physical or financial hardship. While this is a Habitat for Humanity program, local Habitat for Humanity organizations oversee the applications and completion of projects. In some cases, an affordable loan is made to the homeowner, and their payments are then placed in a revolving fund used to fund other Home Preservation repairs.

To apply, search for the Habitat for Humanity Home Preservation Program in your area, for instance, Northeast Michigan, Oakland County, and Cheboygan County.

Michigan Home Repairs

Michigan’s State Emergency Relief can assist with home repairs needed to remedy unsafe living conditions and repair essential home systems. This program offers repairs for the furnace, hot water heaters, and septic systems, as well as non-energy-related repairs.

Requirements:

• The applicant must be the owner or purchaser of the home. The applicant can hold a life estate or life lease on the home and have the responsibility of repairs
• Must be the applicant’s permanent, usual residence
• The home cannot be listed for sale
• The home cannot be in jeopardy of loss
• The applicant must be able to afford the ongoing cost of maintaining the home. Total housing costs cannot exceed 75% of the household’s net income

You can apply through the MIBridges website.

Mi Lead Safe

If you’re concerned about lead levels in your home or drinking water, the Mi Lead Safe Home Program allows you to apply for home lead services, learn about lead in drinking water, and find out where to get a blood lead test.