North Carolina homeowners facing unsafe roofs, failing electrical systems, or a bathroom that is no longer navigable for an aging parent have a renewed pathway to help this cycle. The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA) is rolling out its 2026-2027 Urgent Repair Program, branded URP27, which funnels deferred, forgiven loans of up to $15,000 per household to very low-income owner-occupants across the state.

What URP27 covers

URP27 is built around life-safety and accessibility work rather than cosmetic renovations. Eligible projects include electrical hazards that could start a fire, roof failures that let water into living spaces, failing ramps for seniors, and bathroom modifications such as grab bars and walk-in tubs that allow older residents to remain at home. Homes with lead hazards where a child six years old or younger lives are also a priority.

The loans are interest-free and forgiven over time, typically at $5,000 per year, so a household that stays in place long enough effectively receives the repairs as a grant. Selling the home early can trigger a repayment obligation, a caveat NCHFA and its local partners flag during intake.

Who qualifies

To receive URP27 assistance, a household must own and occupy the home as its primary residence and have income at or below 50% of the area median income. At least one full-time household member must have special needs, defined as an elderly resident, a person with a disability, a veteran, or a child six or younger living in a home with lead hazards.

How the funding flows

Residents do not apply to NCHFA directly. Instead, the agency awards funds to nonprofits, local governments, and regional councils of government, which then work with homeowners in their service areas. For the 2026-2027 cycle, organizations serving two or more counties can request up to $330,000, single-county applicants can request up to $165,000, and the minimum allocation is $99,000. Service areas must cover populations of 5,000 or greater, and applicant organizations must demonstrate the technical capacity to manage residential construction projects.

Key dates for the 2026-2027 cycle

NCHFA posted application forms after November 17, 2025, held an application guideline webinar on December 16, 2025, and set a final submission deadline of 5:00 p.m. on January 14, 2026. Organizations that met that deadline are now in line for awards that will fund repairs for North Carolina households through the URP27 cycle.

How this fits with other state programs

URP27 is one of several overlapping repair-assistance tracks available to North Carolina homeowners. The Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation Loan Pool offers deferred, forgiven loans of up to $70,000 for households up to 80% of area median income with an elderly, disabled, veteran, or lead-risk child member. Separately, ReNew NC is serving the 29 disaster-declared counties hit by Hurricane Helene plus Mecklenburg ZIP 28214, with rehabilitation awards up to $50,000 and reconstruction awards up to $450,000 for homes that were a primary residence on September 27, 2024; its homeowner application deadline is January 31, 2026.

What homeowners should do

Homeowners who think they may qualify for URP27 assistance should contact a local nonprofit housing agency, community action agency, or county or municipal housing office to ask whether that organization is an URP27 subrecipient for their county. NCHFA program staff Mike Handley (919-877-5627) and Sarah Zinn (919-578-3580) can help point callers to the right local partner, and the agency's main line is 919-877-5700.

North Carolina Home Repair Grant Initiative Supports Residents with Urgent Fixes