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Stay informed with the latest grant opportunities, program updates, and funding announcements

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6+ years covering grants·Sources: HUD, USDA, DOE, State Agencies
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Citrus Heights Homeowners Can Get Up to $20,000 in Repair Grants or $60,000 in LoansHawaiian Home Lands Homeowners Can Get Up to $30,000 Through Ho‘āmanaLouisiana Homeowners Have Until Friday to Register for $10,000 Fortified Roof GrantsKinston Low-Income Homeowners May Get Urgent Repair Help Through New $137,500 ProgramLouisiana Homeowners Can Get Up to $10,000 for Fortified Roof UpgradesSonoma Clean Power Customers Can Get Up to $2,500 for Heat Pump Water HeatersNorthern California Homeowners Can Earn Up to $6,000 With Home Battery ProgramBradford County Homeowners Can Join Waitlist for Up to $20,000 in Housing Rehabilitation GrantsIowa Storm-Disaster Households Can Apply for Up to $7,000 in Individual AssistanceIndiana County Homeowners 55+ May Get Help Replacing Roofs and Heating SystemsNew Orleans Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $35,000 for Fortified RoofsMississippi Roof Grant Program Will Offer Up to $10,000 for FORTIFIED Roof UpgradesSonoma Clean Power Customers Can Get Up to $2,500 for Heat Pump Water HeatersHawaiian Home Lands Homeowners Can Apply for Ho‘āmana AssistanceNYC Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $7,500 in Repair Grants Through NHSNYCBulloch County Homeowners Hit by Tropical Storm Debby Can Seek Fortified Roof GrantsKnox County Homeowners May Get Help Replacing Failing Septic SystemsLouisiana Homeowners Can Enter Lottery for $10,000 Fortified Roof GrantsOregon Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $50,000 in Mortgage HelpGuilford County Homeowners Can Get Help With Property Tax IncreasesCitrus Heights Homeowners Can Get Up to $20,000 in Repair Grants or $60,000 in LoansHawaiian Home Lands Homeowners Can Get Up to $30,000 Through Ho‘āmanaLouisiana Homeowners Have Until Friday to Register for $10,000 Fortified Roof GrantsKinston Low-Income Homeowners May Get Urgent Repair Help Through New $137,500 ProgramLouisiana Homeowners Can Get Up to $10,000 for Fortified Roof UpgradesSonoma Clean Power Customers Can Get Up to $2,500 for Heat Pump Water HeatersNorthern California Homeowners Can Earn Up to $6,000 With Home Battery ProgramBradford County Homeowners Can Join Waitlist for Up to $20,000 in Housing Rehabilitation GrantsIowa Storm-Disaster Households Can Apply for Up to $7,000 in Individual AssistanceIndiana County Homeowners 55+ May Get Help Replacing Roofs and Heating SystemsNew Orleans Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $35,000 for Fortified RoofsMississippi Roof Grant Program Will Offer Up to $10,000 for FORTIFIED Roof UpgradesSonoma Clean Power Customers Can Get Up to $2,500 for Heat Pump Water HeatersHawaiian Home Lands Homeowners Can Apply for Ho‘āmana AssistanceNYC Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $7,500 in Repair Grants Through NHSNYCBulloch County Homeowners Hit by Tropical Storm Debby Can Seek Fortified Roof GrantsKnox County Homeowners May Get Help Replacing Failing Septic SystemsLouisiana Homeowners Can Enter Lottery for $10,000 Fortified Roof GrantsOregon Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $50,000 in Mortgage HelpGuilford County Homeowners Can Get Help With Property Tax Increases

Latest News

Mortgage Relief

Northampton County Awards $400K in Affordable Housing Program Grants

Northampton County, Pennsylvania, awarded $400,000 through its 2025 Affordable Housing Program, with County Executive Lamont G. McClure announcing grants to local organizations providing transitional, affordable, and emergency housing services. Funded projects include transitional housing for veterans, emergency shelter operations, facility upgrades, case management, rent and utility assistance, and multigenerational housing. Grants support households earning below 80% of the area median income, with recipients including Community Action Development Bethlehem and the Redevelopment Authority of Easton, each awarded $45,000 for neighborhood revitalization and multigenerational housing initiatives.

GFH Editorial Team·Jan 2
Mortgage Relief

Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Delinquencies Rise Again as CMBS Stress Deepens

Delinquencies on commercial and multifamily mortgages climbed again in the second quarter of 2025, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's latest Commercial Delinquency Report. CMBS loans led the deterioration, with the 30-plus-day delinquency rate jumping to 6.36 percent, driven by mounting stress in multifamily and office properties. Banks, life insurers, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac also saw small movements, underscoring a market where property type, loan structure, and borrower profile increasingly determine which loans stay current and which fall behind.

GFH Editorial Team·Sep 11
Solar & Energy Efficiency

California Community Solar Incentives at Risk as EPA Terminates $7B Solar for All Program

California's $250 million federal Solar for All award — a cornerstone of the state's community solar incentive strategy — is in jeopardy after EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced termination of the $7 billion national program in August 2025. State agencies have called the move unlawful, warning that rescinding the Inflation Reduction Act grants will raise costs for low-income community solar and storage projects and stall a nascent market that already struggles under restrictive CPUC rate proposals.

GFH Editorial Team·Aug 7
Emergency & Disaster Relief

$400M in Federal Energy Aid Finally Released — What It Means for Florida's Low-Income Households

After weeks of uncertainty sparked by the elimination of the federal LIHEAP office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the remaining $401.5 million in FY 2025 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funds on April 30, 2025. The delay had left roughly $378 million stuck in Washington while Florida families — including about 140,000 households that relied on more than $117 million in cooling aid last year — braced for a long, hot summer without help paying electric bills.

GFH Editorial Team·Apr 30
Home Repair & Improvement

USDA Section 504: Up to $40,000 at 1% for Low-Income Rural Home Repairs

The USDA's Section 504 Single Family Housing Repair program gives very-low-income rural homeowners loans of up to $40,000 at a 1% fixed rate for 20 years, plus grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners age 62 and older to remove health and safety hazards. A Materials Pilot Program that took effect December 2, 2024 is streamlining the process in 25 states and territories through December 2, 2026.

GFH Editorial Team·Dec 2
First Time Homebuyers

New Homes in Upper Macungie: Key Developments Driving Residential Growth

Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania is seeing a wave of new residential construction, from luxury single-family homes to large-scale townhome and apartment communities. Projects like The Reserve at Surrey Court, Sunset Orchards, and Twin Ponds are reshaping the local housing landscape near Hamilton Boulevard and the Parkland School District. Here's a look at the key developments approved or underway, what they mean for first-time and move-up buyers, and how Upper Macungie fits into broader Lehigh Valley housing growth.

GFH Editorial Team·Jul 3
Solar & Energy Efficiency

NY Solar Credit Program: Clean Energy Savings Now Open for Homeowners

New York State is expanding its signature NY-Sun solar initiative after being selected to receive nearly $250 million from the EPA's Solar for All grant competition. Combined with the state's 25% residential solar tax credit and NY-Sun's upfront rebate incentives, low- and moderate-income homeowners now have one of the most generous clean energy savings packages in the country, with funding directed to rooftop solar, community solar, and workforce development over the next five years.

GFH Editorial Team·Apr 22
Solar & Energy Efficiency

Federal Solar Programs Deliver Clean Energy Savings to Low-Income Households

A historic federal investment is bringing rooftop solar and community solar subscriptions within reach of low-income families across the country. Through the EPA's Solar for All program and other federal initiatives, qualifying households can access solar installations with no upfront cost, guaranteed electricity bill savings, and support for job training in the clean energy economy.

GFH Editorial Team·Apr 22
Mortgage Relief

Phoenix Apartment Complex Wins $500K Affordable Housing Grant

A 192-unit affordable apartment community in Phoenix, Arizona secured a $500,000 grant from the Home Matters Arizona Fund, supporting Family Housing Community Development Corporation's Residences at Falcon Park project at 1220 N. 34th Ave. The roughly $45 million development is part of a $2 million round of awards distributed across Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tempe, and Tucson, funded by a healthcare-led coalition aimed at easing the state's affordable housing crisis and improving health outcomes for low-income Arizonans eligible for AHCCCS, the state's Medicaid program.

GFH Editorial Team·Jan 24
Mortgage Relief

California Has Nearly $500M in COVID Homeowner Relief Still Unclaimed

California's share of the federal Homeowner Assistance Fund launched with roughly $1 billion in American Rescue Plan money, but more than three years into the program nearly $500 million of that COVID-era relief remained unclaimed as of early 2024. Industry reporting pointed to outreach gaps between mortgage servicers and distressed borrowers, prompting CalHFA and the state's Housing is Key initiative to expand eligibility rules and push homeowners to apply before the money was reallocated or expired. The program covered mortgage arrears, property taxes, and reverse-mortgage shortfalls for pandemic-affected owners.

GFH Editorial Team·Jan 4
Mortgage Relief

Oregon Homeowner Aid: Last Chance Before HAF Portal Closes Dec. 20

Oregon homeowners have a narrow window to apply for Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) help before the state's application portal closes at noon Pacific time on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) announced the early shutdown to prevent overcommitting the roughly $1.9 million left in the $72 million American Rescue Plan program, which had already approved 1,745 applications worth about $46.9 million and had 859 more under review as of December 4. Homeowners in active foreclosure may still apply after the deadline through certified housing counselors and HAF intake partners if funds remain.

GFH Editorial Team·Dec 20
Mortgage Relief

Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund Portal Closes Dec. 20 to Avoid Overcommitting Funds

Oregon Housing and Community Services announced the state's Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) application portal will close at noon PST on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. The program, originally funded with $72 million through the American Rescue Plan, had approved 1,745 applications totaling about $46.9 million by December 4, with an additional 859 applications under review. OHCS said closing the portal is necessary to avoid overcommitting the roughly $1.9 million projected to remain, while homeowners in active foreclosure may still apply through housing counselors and HAF intake partners after the deadline.

GFH Editorial Team·Dec 20
First Time Homebuyers

HomeSight's Darryl Smith Appointed to Washington Covenant Homeownership Program Oversight Committee

Governor Jay Inslee tapped HomeSight Executive Director Darryl Smith to help oversee Washington's first-in-the-nation Covenant Homeownership Program, a state-funded effort to repair the damage of racist property covenants and redlining by providing down payment assistance to Black families and other historically excluded groups with Washington roots before 1968.

GFH Editorial Team·Dec 11
First Time Homebuyers

Connecticut Minority Homebuyers: Hartford Foundation $600K Grant Supports BIPOC Down Payment Assistance

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving awarded the Housing Development Fund (HDF) a $600,000 grant in November 2023 to expand the Homeownership Equity Fund CT, providing zero-percent down payment and closing-cost loans to first-time BIPOC homebuyers across the 29-town Greater Hartford region. The award, which includes $500,000 from the Foundation and $100,000 in donor advised fund contributions, is projected to help 25 to 35 Black and Latine households at or below 80% of Area Median Income purchase homes in higher-opportunity neighborhoods.

GFH Editorial Team·Nov 21
Property Tax Relief

Minnesota Reissues Nearly 150,000 Expired One-Time Tax Rebate Checks

The Minnesota Department of Revenue is reissuing nearly 150,000 one-time tax rebate checks that went uncashed and expired 60 days after their original August and September 2023 issuance. The first batch went out the week of November 15, 2023, with a second wave following in early December. Each reissued check is valid for 60 days. The rebates, worth up to $1,300 per household, stem from a 2023 law directing one-time payments of $260 per individual filer, $520 per joint return, and $260 per dependent (up to three) to eligible 2021 Minnesota residents under income caps.

GFH Editorial Team·Nov 15
First Time Homebuyers

Clearwater Housing Committee Tackles Market Challenges With 2023 Strategy Update

Clearwater's Affordable Housing Committee approved its 2023 local housing incentive strategies update, responding to rising prices that are pushing starter homes out of reach for young professionals. Members discussed raising the single-family home sales price cap to $481,176, weighed concerns from city officials about unintended consequences, and approved a city property donation to Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas & West Pasco Counties. The move reflects broader pressure on the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro, where affordability gaps continue to squeeze workforce buyers and renters earning below the area median income.

GFH Editorial Team·Nov 14
Mortgage Relief

Oregon Homeowner Assistance Fund Helps Nearly 1,300 Households Stay in Their Homes

Oregon Housing and Community Services announced the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) has helped 1,295 households stay in their homes, with an average award of about $27,000. Of the $72 million federal pandemic-era allocation, $44 million has been approved and $35 million scheduled for payment. Roughly 500 recipients live in rural Oregon, and the program has prioritized Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, Asian, and Pacific Islander households, as well as members of federally recognized Tribes. Eligible homeowners can receive up to $50,000 toward past-due mortgage and housing costs, and low-income applicants may qualify for an additional $10,000 to cover up to six months of ongoing monthly assistance.

GFH Editorial Team·Oct 25
Solar & Energy Efficiency

DOE Awards $30M Energy Efficiency Boost to 28 Communities Nationwide

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $30 million in clean energy funding distributed to 28 state, local, and Tribal governments through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The awards will fund heat pumps, LED lighting upgrades, solar installations, and EV charging infrastructure across homes, schools, hospitals, and public spaces, with a strong focus on disadvantaged communities.

GFH Editorial Team·Oct 12
Emergency & Disaster Relief

Federal LIHEAP Cooling Assistance: How Low-Income Households Can Get Help With Summer Energy Bills

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides federally funded cooling assistance to help eligible low-income households pay summer energy bills, repair or replace air conditioning equipment, and avoid heat-related health emergencies. Each state sets its own cooling benefit levels, eligibility thresholds, and application windows, but the core federal framework is consistent nationwide. This guide explains who qualifies, what benefits cover, and how to apply for LIHEAP cooling help in your state.

GFH Editorial Team·Oct 1
Mortgage Relief

Delaware Housing Authority Begins Issuing Final Federal Funds to Homeowners, Homebuyers

The Delaware State Housing Authority announced on September 18, 2023 that it would begin issuing the final round of federal funding through three pandemic-era programs: the Delaware Mortgage Relief Program, Delaware Diamonds Home Loan, and Home Sweet Home Program. Collectively, the programs have already helped thousands of Delawareans stay in their homes or achieve homeownership, and officials urged eligible residents to apply before the money runs out.

GFH Editorial Team·Sep 18
Home Repair & Improvement

Flint Council Allocates $5.2M in ARPA Funds to Home Repairs; $30M Berston Field House Renovation Launched

The Flint City Council voted in late August 2023 to allocate $5.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds toward critical home repairs for qualifying residents, with the bulk of the money flowing to three local agencies: GCCARD, Metro Community Development, and Habitat for Humanity. Alongside the home repair package, officials announced a $30 million capital campaign to renovate the historic Berston Field House on North Saginaw Street, with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation pledging matching funds. The decisions represent one of the largest single-meeting ARPA deployments in Flint to date.

GFH Editorial Team·Aug 28
First Time Homebuyers

Teachers Priced Out: Only 12% of Homes Near Schools Are Affordable, Redfin Finds

A Redfin analysis found the typical U.S. teacher can afford just 12% of homes for sale within commuting distance of their school — down from 30% in 2019 and 17% a year earlier. With a median teacher salary of $66,745 and home prices climbing faster than pay, educators are increasingly boxed out of homeownership near the districts they serve. Florida metros and expensive West Coast cities top the least-affordable list, and the squeeze is contributing to a worsening teacher shortage. Some first-time homebuyers in education are turning to employer-assisted housing, state teacher down payment programs, and targeted grant assistance to bridge the gap.

GFH Editorial Team·Aug 15
Solar & Energy Efficiency

California Lands $11.8M for First Direct Air Capture Hub — What It Means for Homeowners

The U.S. Department of Energy selected California's DAC Hub consortium, led by Carbon TerraVault and SoCalGas, for $11.8 million to design the state's first full-scale direct air capture and storage network in Kern County. While the project itself is industrial, it arrives alongside Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and California incentives that give homeowners their own path to cut carbon and energy bills at home.

GFH Editorial Team·Aug 11
Mortgage Relief

HUD Awards Atlanta Housing $40M to Transform Bowen Homes Neighborhood

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Atlanta Housing and the City of Atlanta a $40 million Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant to revitalize the long-vacant Bowen Homes site on Atlanta's Westside. The federal funds will help leverage more than $500 million in public and private investment to redevelop the 74-acre neighborhood with over 2,000 new rental and ownership homes, alongside blight removal, public-safety improvements, and health, education, and economic programs for former residents and the surrounding Carey Park and Almond Park communities.

GFH Editorial Team·Jul 26
Home Repair & Improvement

Wilmington $50M HUD Funding: Coons, Carper, Blunt Rochester Support

Senators Chris Coons and Tom Carper and Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester celebrated a $50 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant for the City of Wilmington and the Wilmington Housing Authority. The award will help transform the Riverside public housing community and the broader Northeast Wilmington corridor with affordable housing, jobs, and education investments.

GFH Editorial Team·Jul 26
Solar & Energy Efficiency

Maryland Governor Moore Announces $4 Million Energy Efficiency Retrofit Pilot Program

Maryland Governor Wes Moore unveiled a $4 million Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Retrofits Pilot Program, directing grants to six jurisdictions so that nearly 300 homes previously deferred for health and safety issues can finally proceed with weatherization and energy upgrades. Awards go to Allegany, Garrett, Howard and St. Mary's counties, plus the cities of Frederick and Baltimore. The pilot pairs the state's Weatherization Assistance Program with rehabilitation funds so low-income homeowners receive critical repairs and efficiency retrofits at no cost.

GFH Editorial Team·Jul 25
Home Repair & Improvement

Allegan County Lands $65M Broadband Project to Wire 10,000 Rural Homes

Allegan County, Michigan has won a $65 million public-private broadband project that will bring fiber internet to more than 10,000 unserved and underserved homes. Homeowners in rural corners of the county will finally gain access to high-speed service that can boost property values, unlock remote work and telehealth, and make households eligible for federal affordability programs.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 20
Emergency & Disaster Relief

State $60M Grant Supports Skid Row Homeless Housing and Services

Los Angeles County secured a $60 million California state grant to fund housing projects and expand services for more than half of the unhoused population living in Skid Row. The funding, drawn from Governor Gavin Newsom's Encampment Resolution Fund, was announced in June 2023 and is designed to move roughly 2,500 people into interim or permanent housing over three years while supplementing $280 million in leveraged local funding.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 16
First Time Homebuyers

Co-Equity and Support Programs for Black Homebuyers Tackle Historic Homeownership Gaps

The gap between Black and white homeownership in the United States remains wider today than it was when the Fair Housing Act passed in 1968. A growing set of co-equity, shared-equity, and down payment assistance programs — run by nonprofits, CDFIs, and state housing finance agencies — aim to help Black first-time buyers overcome the compounding effects of redlining, appraisal bias, and generational wealth gaps. This guide explains how these programs work and how to evaluate them.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
First Time Homebuyers

California Homebuyers See New Grants Boost First-Time Buyer Support

California is expanding first-time homebuyer support through the California Housing Finance Agency's Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan, a down payment assistance program designed to pair with a Dream For All Conventional first mortgage. The program helps eligible first-time buyers cover down payment and closing costs, making homeownership more attainable in one of the nation's most expensive housing markets. CalHFA administers applications through its DFA portal and has issued fraud alerts urging buyers to rely only on official channels for program updates and communications.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Solar & Energy Efficiency

California Climate Investments: Lessons for Washington State Homeowners

California's decade-old cap-and-trade program has channeled billions into clean energy, clean transportation, and disadvantaged community investments. As Washington state launched its own Climate Commitment Act and moved toward linking markets with California and Quebec, homeowners in both states stood to see the ripple effects in home energy, transit, and climate resilience programs.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Home Repair & Improvement

CDBG Emergency Home Repair Aid: What Eligible Homeowners Need to Know

Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding supports emergency home repair programs across the country, providing grants or low-cost loans to income-eligible homeowners facing urgent repairs to electrical, plumbing, heating, roofing, or structural systems. Program specifics vary by city and county, but the core goal is to keep low- and moderate-income homeowners in safe, habitable homes.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
First Time Homebuyers

First-Time Homebuyer Assistance: Applications Open

First-time homebuyer assistance programs across the country are accepting applications, offering down payment aid, closing cost help, and low-interest mortgages to income-qualified buyers. Without a specific state or program attribution for this slug, prospective buyers should check their state housing finance agency, local HUD-approved counseling offices, and city/county housing departments for current openings and eligibility rules.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Emergency & Disaster Relief

Louisiana Homeowners Rely on Parnell-Robinson for House Insurance in Natchitoches and Shreveport

For North and Central Louisiana homeowners, finding house insurance that actually pays out after a hurricane, hailstorm, or tornado is an annual headache. Parnell-Robinson Insurance, an independent agency operating out of Bossier City, Mansfield, and Vivian since 1969, has built its reputation helping families in Natchitoches, Shreveport, Haughton, and surrounding parishes shop multiple carriers for dwelling, wind, and hail coverage without being locked into a single insurer's rate hikes.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Home Repair & Improvement

Jamestown Housing Repair Mini-Grant Applications Open to Homeowners

The City of Jamestown, New York is accepting applications for its Housing Repair Mini-Grant Program, offering eligible homeowners up to $2,500 to cover repairs, improvements, and junk and debris removal. Funded through the American Rescue Plan, the program assists with up to 90 percent of total project costs and is limited to new applicants who meet the income threshold of 125 percent of the area median income. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis through the city's Department of Development.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
First Time Homebuyers

Los Alamos, NM Homebuyer Down Payment Help and Home Loans

Los Alamos County homebuyers have access to meaningful down payment and home loan support through the Los Alamos County Homebuyer Assistance Program administered by the Los Alamos Housing Partnership, plus statewide options from Housing New Mexico (MFA) including FIRSThome, HomeNow, and NextHome. Together, these programs can reduce upfront cash needs, defer payments until resale, and make ownership achievable for first-time and repeat buyers in Los Alamos County.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Mortgage Relief

Mortgage Help Lost in Transition: Key Findings on Homeowners Who Fall Through the Cracks

Research from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other federal sources shows that homeowners routinely lose access to mortgage assistance during moments of transition — exiting forbearance, changing servicers, recovering from a spouse's death or divorce, or navigating the end of a pandemic-era relief program. Long hold times, lost paperwork, unclear communication, and servicer bankruptcies push tens of thousands of borrowers into delinquency without a loss mitigation solution in place, even when they should have qualified for help.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Home Repair & Improvement

New York Home Repair Grants: How Homeowners Can Improve Living Standards

New York State funds several home repair grant and low-cost loan programs that help income-eligible homeowners fix code violations, replace roofs and heating systems, and address health and safety hazards. Programs such as RESTORE, the Access to Home initiative, and the federally funded HOME Program are administered through New York State Homes and Community Renewal and partner nonprofits. Understanding who qualifies, what repairs are covered, and how to apply can make the difference between deferred maintenance and a safer, more stable home.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Home Repair & Improvement

Oroville Home Improvement Loans: Applications Open for Income-Qualified Homeowners

The City of Oroville, California is accepting applications from income-qualified homeowners for its Housing Rehabilitation Loan Program, a federally and state-funded initiative that helps residents repair and improve their homes. The program is operated by the city's Business Assistance and Housing Development Department and is funded through sources including CDBG, HOME, CalHome, PLHA, and Revolving Loan Funds. Applications are available at Oroville City Hall and are accepted on an ongoing basis while funding is available.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Solar & Energy Efficiency

Pennsylvania Solar Incentives, Rebates, and Tax Credits: A 2023 Guide for Homeowners

Pennsylvania homeowners considering rooftop solar in 2023 have a mix of federal, state, and utility-level incentives to draw on. The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit covers 30% of installed system costs, net metering rules let customers bank excess generation on their electric bill, and Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) lets solar owners earn and sell Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs). Additional support comes from the Sustainable Energy Fund, the Pennsylvania Treasury's Keystone HELP loan program, and targeted offerings from individual utilities. This guide walks through each program, who qualifies, and what to watch for.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Emergency & Disaster Relief

Starke County Homelessness Grant Launches Community Support

The Starke County Community Foundation awarded a $2,500 grant to the Knox Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to support individuals experiencing homelessness. Funded in part by the Hardesty Memorial Endowment Fund, the grant will underwrite comfort packs containing food, toiletries, weather-resistant supplies, and other essentials for Starke County, Indiana residents in need.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Home Repair & Improvement

Texas Utility Help to Lower Energy and Water Bills Now

Texas homeowners and renters struggling with energy and water bills have multiple assistance options, including the federally funded Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) administered by TDHCA and LIHEAP-backed aid delivered through community action agencies. Eligibility is based on income, and priority typically goes to seniors, people with disabilities, and households with young children.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
Emergency & Disaster Relief

The Truth About Viral "$700 Stimulus Payment" Claims: What's Real and What's a Scam

Social media posts and clickbait articles are pushing the idea that U.S. residents will "receive $700 stimulus payments" under a new program, but no such single federal program exists. The closest legitimate programs are state-level rebates — California's stimulus payments (up to $725), New York's Enhanced STAR benefit for senior homeowners ($700 to $1,500), and similar state-run relief — each with specific eligibility rules. Anyone being told they qualify for a "$700 stimulus" should verify directly with their state tax or revenue department before sharing personal information.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 15
First Time Homebuyers

Berkshire County First-Time Homebuyer Grants: $2,500 Toward Closing Costs

First-time homebuyers in 18 Berkshire County, Massachusetts towns can tap a $2,500 closing-cost grant administered by the housing nonprofit Construct Inc. Funded through a $100,000 Massachusetts American Rescue Plan Act appropriation secured by State Rep. William "Smitty" Pignatelli, the Final Mile grant helps mortgage-approved buyers earning up to 100% of area median income close the gap on down payments and closing costs. Participating lenders include Lee Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Adams Community Bank, Pittsfield Cooperative Bank, and Berkshire Bank.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 12
First Time Homebuyers

Chattanooga Launches First-Time Home Buyer Grant and Loan Program

On June 12, 2023, the City of Chattanooga launched a new first-time home buyer assistance program offering up to $10,000 in closing cost grants and 0% interest loans up to $40,000 for eligible residents earning at or below 100% area median income. The program debuted at the Affordable Housing Resource Fair at Glenwood Community Center, where officials began accepting applications and connecting prospective buyers with homeownership resources.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 12
Home Repair & Improvement

Southern Dallas Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $100K in Federal Grants for Home Repairs

Homeowners in four historically Black southern Dallas neighborhoods — Joppa, Five Mile, Tenth Street Historic District, and The Bottom — can apply for up to $100,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act grants to repair aging homes. The city has allocated roughly $2 million through its Neighborhood Revitalization Program to rehabilitate at least 20 single-family homes built in or before 1959. Eligible owner-occupants, as well as landlords serving tenants earning under 80% of Area Median Income, can call 469-799-2761 to apply.

GFH Editorial Team·May 31
Solar & Energy Efficiency

Multifamily Housing: Billions in Loans and Grants for Energy Efficiency

HUD unveiled the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program, making $837.5 million in grants and up to $4 billion in loan authority available to multifamily affordable housing owners. Funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, GRRP helps properties cut energy and water use, slash greenhouse gas emissions, and harden buildings against extreme weather, with awards reaching $80,000 per unit.

GFH Editorial Team·May 11
First Time Homebuyers

FHLBank San Francisco Makes $12.5 Million Available for Downpayment Assistance Grants

On April 11, 2023, the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco announced $12.5 million in WISH (Workforce Initiative Subsidy for Homeownership) matching grants to help low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers in Arizona, California, and Nevada purchase a home. Delivered through 41 participating member financial institutions, the program offers 4-to-1 matching grants of up to $29,172 per household to cover downpayment and closing costs. Applicants must earn at or below 80% of HUD area median income and complete homebuyer counseling. Since 2000, WISH has delivered more than $141 million to over 9,500 households.

GFH Editorial Team·Apr 11
Mortgage Relief

Michigan Homeowner Assistance Fund Distributes $114 Million in Year-One Aid

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority announced that the state's Homeowner Assistance Fund distributed more than $114 million to struggling homeowners during its first year of operation, helping thousands of Michigan families avoid foreclosure, catch up on mortgage payments, and cover delinquent property taxes, utilities, and insurance costs since the program's February 2022 launch.

GFH Editorial Team·Feb 28
Emergency & Disaster Relief

Hurricane Ian Financial Aid: Volusia County Homeowners Can Apply for FEMA, SBA, and State Recovery Help

Volusia County homeowners impacted by Hurricane Ian have access to a layered recovery stack: FEMA Individual Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing, low-interest SBA Home Disaster Loans, Florida's Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program, and, later, up to $91,000 per household through the county's CDBG-DR Hurricane Housing Recovery Program.

GFH Editorial Team·Dec 8
Emergency & Disaster Relief

Florida DEO Homeowner Grants Deliver Hurricane Recovery Aid

Florida's state-administered Rebuild Florida program, funded through HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery dollars, continues to provide homeowner grants covering repair, reconstruction, and mitigation costs for families displaced by Hurricane Ian and earlier storms. The program prioritizes low-to-moderate income households and offers awards that can exceed $150,000 per home, with no repayment required when eligibility conditions are met by qualified owners.

GFH Editorial Team·Sep 28
Emergency & Disaster Relief

My Safe Florida Home Grant Program: Homeowner Safety Boost

The My Safe Florida Home program offers Florida homeowners free wind mitigation inspections and matching grants of up to $10,000 to harden single-family homes against hurricanes. Administered by the Department of Financial Services, the program pairs a $2 state match for every $1 a homeowner contributes toward approved retrofits like roof upgrades, opening protection, and reinforced connections.

GFH Editorial Team·Jun 2
Mortgage Relief

Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program Stalled 5 Months After Launch

Nevada's Homeowner Assistance Fund, launched with $120 million in federal pandemic relief to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure, has ground to a near halt just five months after opening its doors. Homeowners who applied in the earliest days of the program report waiting months for decisions, and only a small fraction of the available aid has actually reached families facing mortgage default. Advocates say the delays threaten to undermine the very purpose of the American Rescue Plan funding.

GFH Editorial Team·May 16
Mortgage Relief

Colorado Awards Pandemic Aid Funds for HOA Debt Relief to Rescue Homeowners

Colorado has deployed federal pandemic relief dollars to help homeowners pay down crippling homeowners association debts that piled up during COVID-19. The aid, distributed through the Colorado Emergency Mortgage Assistance program, covers delinquent HOA dues, late fees, and assessment arrears that pushed thousands of residents toward foreclosure and forced sales after pandemic-era job losses.

GFH Editorial Team·Feb 24
Solar & Energy Efficiency

HOPE for HOMES Act: Federal Grant Program Aims to Boost Home Energy Efficiency Nationwide

The Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOPE) for HOMES Act, re-introduced in Congress on May 20, 2021, proposed more than $8 billion in rebates for residential energy efficiency upgrades plus $500 million for contractor training grants. Sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) and a bipartisan group of cosponsors, the legislation aimed to help homeowners cut utility bills while expanding the residential retrofit workforce. Core elements of the bill were ultimately enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

GFH Editorial Team·May 20
Mortgage Relief

The Homeowner Assistance Fund: How a $9.961B Federal Program Kept Pandemic-Era Homeowners Out of Foreclosure

The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was created by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and launched by the U.S. Treasury on April 14, 2021, with $9.961 billion to help homeowners behind on their mortgage, taxes, utilities, or insurance avoid foreclosure after a COVID-19 hardship. Administered by states, territories, and tribes, HAF paid arrears directly to servicers and tax offices, and by 2024 had deployed billions of dollars to keep families in their homes as pandemic forbearance protections expired.

GFH Editorial Team·Apr 14
Mortgage Relief

Mortgage Financial Assistance Programs: A Guide to Homeowner Support Options

Federal mortgage relief options help homeowners avoid foreclosure through the Homeowner Assistance Fund, loss mitigation workouts, and counseling. Launched under the American Rescue Plan Act signed March 11, 2021, HAF directed $9.961 billion to states, territories, and tribes to cover mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, and utilities for households affected by COVID-19. Beyond HAF, federally backed loans through FHA, VA, USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac offer forbearance, repayment plans, loan modifications, and partial claims to help struggling borrowers stay in their homes.

GFH Editorial Team·Mar 11
Home Repair & Improvement

Lawton Homeowner Rehabilitation Program Transforms 50-Year Family Home

A longtime Lawton, Oklahoma resident saw her family home of 50 years transformed through the city's Homeowner Rehabilitation Project, which uses roughly $1 million in annual federal grants to fund interior repairs for low-income households. Janet McGee's $34,000 renovation included new flooring, a complete kitchen refresh, and two fully reconstructed bathrooms, with the homeowner paying just 15 percent over a decade of low monthly installments.

GFH Editorial Team·Jan 24
Solar & Energy Efficiency

Solar Co-Op Buying Programs and Community Solar: How Homeowners Can Save Together

Solar co-op buying programs let neighbors pool purchasing power to cut rooftop solar costs, while community solar subscriptions give renters and shaded-roof homeowners access to clean energy savings without installing panels. Programs like Solarize Philly, which expanded citywide in July 2018, have shown that group buying can reduce installation prices by 10 to 20 percent while simplifying vetting of installers. Community solar, meanwhile, has expanded to more than 20 states, giving homeowners a second pathway to solar savings through bill credits on their utility account.

GFH Editorial Team·Jul 1
Mortgage Relief

Columbia Homeowner Assistance Program: Low-Income Housing Support After 2015 Flood

Columbia, South Carolina launched the Columbia Homeowner Assistance Program (CHAP) to help 76 low- and moderate-income households rebuild or replace single-family homes sustained Major or Severe damage in the historic October 2015 flood. The program draws on nearly $20 million in HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds, with assistance capped at $150,000 per household plus relocation support.

GFH Editorial Team·Jan 24