New Hampshire Home Repair Grants and Loans: 2026 Guide

Maintaining a home in the Granite State is a constant battle against the elements. From the roof-crushing snow of the White Mountains to salt and moisture exposure along the Seacoast, your home’s structural systems can take a beating.

In 2026, New Hampshire home repair assistance is spread across municipal rehabilitation programs, New Hampshire Housing, Community Action Agencies, utility-funded energy programs, USDA Rural Development, nonprofit lenders, and hazard-specific assistance. The help may be a grant, loan, rebate, or direct contractor service rather than one statewide home repair check.

This guide covers the major state, local, federal, and nonprofit pathways that may help with your roof, kitchen, bathroom, heating system, electrical hazards, accessibility work, or broader home repairs.

House Restoration: Municipal CDBG

If your home needs comprehensive work such as major kitchen repairs, a bathroom accessibility overhaul, unsafe wiring, plumbing repairs, roofing, or structural work, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) may be one funding source behind a local housing rehabilitation program.

• The Help: Assistance terms are set through the local project or program. Depending on the administrator, help may be structured as a grant, deferred loan, forgivable loan, low-interest loan, or another approved financing arrangement.
• The Scope: Housing rehabilitation can address work needed to make a home decent, safe, sanitary, accessible, and compliant with applicable standards. Electrical, plumbing, roofing, heating, structural, and other necessary repairs may be included when approved.
• Where to Start: Contact your city or town’s Planning, Community Development, Housing, or Economic Development office and ask whether an owner-occupied rehabilitation program currently serves your address.

New Hampshire’s state CDBG program is generally accessed through eligible municipalities and counties rather than through a single homeowner application to the state. Larger communities may operate separate federally funded programs.

Official Website: New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority CDBG Program

If unsafe wiring or an outdated breaker panel is the main problem, read our electrical rewiring grants and repair help guide.

If a local program offers deferred or forgivable assistance, review when home repair grants and loans may have to be paid back before signing.

Emergency Systems and Structural Fixes: New Hampshire Housing

For homeowners who already have a mortgage through New Hampshire Housing, the Emergency Home Repair Loan can provide a narrower safety net for qualifying emergency repairs.

Emergency Home Repair Loan (EHRL)

• The Help: Up to $25,000.
• Loan Structure: The published program fact sheet describes a second mortgage with a term of up to 15 years.
• Target: The program is limited to qualifying homeowners who already have a New Hampshire Housing mortgage.
• Repairs Covered: Examples include a failed furnace, well or septic system, roof repairs, and certain improvements that directly affect energy efficiency.
• Insurance: The emergency generally must involve work that is not otherwise covered by homeowners insurance.

This is a loan, not a general state home repair grant. Additional underwriting, mortgage-payment, asset, credit, contractor, and documentation requirements may apply, so confirm the current terms directly with New Hampshire Housing.

Official Fact Sheet: New Hampshire Housing Emergency Home Repair Loan

Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

New Hampshire Housing’s Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Program helps eligible property owners address lead paint hazards in older homes.

• Home Age: Lead assistance focuses on qualifying homes built before 1978.
• Owner-Occupied Assistance: Current program materials list grant assistance of up to $17,000 per qualifying unit.
• Healthy Homes: Up to an additional $3,000 may be available for eligible Healthy Homes interventions.
• Eligibility: Income, occupancy, child or pregnancy, matching-fund, inspection, and other program requirements apply.

Lead assistance should not be described as an automatic free renovation. The program uses federal grant and state loan resources and may require an owner contribution or other conditions.

Official Website: New Hampshire Housing Lead and Healthy Homes Program

The Energy and Heating Lifeline: Community Action and NHSaves

If your furnace dies during a New Hampshire winter or your home leaks heat faster than you can pay for it, your regional Community Action Agency (CAA) is an important starting point.

Fuel Assistance and Heating-System Problems

New Hampshire’s Fuel Assistance Program is the state’s LIHEAP program. Community Action Agencies handle applications and can also screen households for related energy-assistance programs.

• Heating Emergency: Ask your CAA what crisis or heating-system assistance is available if your primary heating equipment fails or becomes unsafe.
• Fuel Assistance: Benefits help qualifying households with eligible heating costs and are not the same thing as a general home repair grant.
• Current Season: The 2026-27 program cycle is now underway through local Community Action Agencies. Intake procedures and processing times may vary by agency.

For broader furnace options, read our emergency furnace repair assistance guide.

Official CAA Directory: New Hampshire Community Action Agencies

Weatherization Assistance

The Weatherization Assistance Program helps qualifying lower-income households improve energy efficiency and address certain health and safety issues related to approved weatherization work.

Weatherization may include insulation, air sealing, diagnostic testing, and other approved efficiency measures. It is normally delivered as a direct service rather than unrestricted cash for the homeowner.

Official Website: New Hampshire Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program

NHSaves Home Energy Performance

Homeowners who do not fit the lowest-income Weatherization tier should also check NHSaves Home Energy Performance.

• Standard Incentive: Qualified projects may receive up to $6,000 in rebates for eligible whole-home efficiency improvements.
• Typical Project Share: NHSaves states that qualifying customers may receive 75% of eligible improvement costs, subject to the program cap.
• Financing: Qualified participants may also have access to low-rate or 0% utility-partner financing for their approved cost share.
• Income-Eligible Program: NHSaves says its Home Energy Assistance program can cover 100% of approved weatherization costs for qualifying households.

Approved work can include insulation, air sealing and related efficiency improvements. If drafty or failing windows and doors are part of your problem, see our window and door replacement assistance guide.

Official Website: NHSaves Energy Audits and Weatherization

Manufactured and Mobile Home Support

New Hampshire has an unusually strong network of resident-owned manufactured-home communities. If you own a manufactured home, the financing options can look different from those for a conventional house.

• The Help: The New Hampshire Community Loan Fund offers Welcome Home Loans for qualifying manufactured-home owners and buyers.
• The Structure: These are loans, not home repair grants.
• Location: Welcome Home financing is designed for homes in qualifying resident-owned communities or on land the homeowner owns or is buying in New Hampshire.
• Repairs: Existing homeowners may be able to refinance or use available home-equity financing for repairs or improvements, subject to lending requirements.

Official Website: New Hampshire Community Loan Fund Manufactured Home Financing

Accessibility Repairs: Granite State Independent Living

If disability or limited mobility makes it difficult to safely enter, move through, or use your home, Granite State Independent Living (GSIL) is another program worth checking.

GSIL’s Home Access Modification services can help evaluate accessibility needs and identify possible funding sources for modifications such as:

• Wheelchair ramps
• Stair lifts
• Grab bars
• Bathroom modifications
• Other accessibility-related home changes

Funding is need-based and is not guaranteed for every project. GSIL may coordinate with other available funding sources and approved vendors.

Official Website: GSIL Home Access Modification

For additional bathroom-related options, see our bathroom safety and accessibility assistance guide.

The Rural Safety Net: USDA Section 504

If your home is in an eligible rural area, the USDA Section 504 Home Repair program remains one of the clearest federal repair options in New Hampshire.

Do not judge eligibility only by your town’s population or mailing address. USDA uses property-specific rural eligibility boundaries.

• The Grant: Up to $10,000 for qualifying very-low-income homeowners age 62 or older to remove health and safety hazards.
• The Loan: Up to $40,000 for qualifying homeowners at a fixed 1% interest rate for up to 20 years.
• Combined Maximum: Up to $50,000 when an applicant qualifies for both the standard loan and grant.
• Repayment: USDA states that grants generally must be repaid if the property is sold within three years.

Official Website: USDA Section 504 in Vermont and New Hampshire

For forms, rural-eligibility information and repayment rules, read our USDA Section 504 home repair guide.

2026 USDA Disaster Repair Assistance

A separate Single Family Housing Disaster Assistance Fund may help eligible low- and very-low-income homeowners whose homes were damaged by a qualifying declared disaster.

• Current Maximum Grant: Up to $32,420.
• Current Processing Window: USDA lists applications for processing through September 30, 2026, subject to available funding and qualifying disasters.
• Use: Eligible disaster-related home repair expenses, site preparation, and certain manufactured-home moving expenses.
• Important: The award cannot duplicate insurance or another benefit paying for the same loss.

Official Website: USDA Single Family Housing Disaster Assistance Fund

2026-27 Eligibility: Do You Qualify?

There is no single income limit for every New Hampshire repair program. Fuel Assistance, CDBG rehabilitation, USDA, lead assistance, NHSaves and NH Housing each use different rules.

Current Energy Assistance Income Limits

Current Community Action guidance for the 2026-27 Fuel and Electric Assistance season lists the following 60% State Median Income limits:

These energy-assistance figures should not be used to predict eligibility for CDBG, USDA, NH Housing, lead remediation, or other repair programs.

• CDBG: Income limits and assistance terms vary by location, project and household size.
• USDA: Uses county-specific low- and very-low-income limits and additional eligibility requirements.
• Occupancy: Many homeowner repair programs require owner occupancy, but Weatherization and some lead programs can also serve qualifying renters or rental properties.
• Taxes and Liens: Some financing programs review property taxes, title, mortgage status, liens, insurance or other property obligations. A tax issue is not an automatic statewide rejection rule for every program.
• Assets: Asset and credit rules vary by program. Do not use one program’s asset limit to screen yourself out of every other option.

How to Apply: The Step-by-Step Roadmap

1. Call your local Community Action Agency: Start here for Fuel Assistance, Weatherization and related income-eligible energy programs.
2. Ask your municipality about home rehabilitation: Contact the Planning, Housing or Community Development office and ask whether owner-occupied CDBG rehabilitation is currently available for your address.
3. Check NH Housing programs: Existing NH Housing borrowers with an emergency repair should ask about EHRL. Owners of pre-1978 homes with lead concerns should ask about Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.
4. Check USDA rural eligibility: If your address may qualify, ask USDA about Section 504 before paying for a major health or safety repair.
5. For accessibility work: Contact GSIL if ramps, bathroom modifications, grab bars or similar changes are needed because of disability or limited mobility.
6. For veterans: Ask VA about the Home Improvements and Structural Alterations (HISA) benefit when medically necessary accessibility work is required. Eligible Veterans may have a lifetime benefit of up to $6,800 under qualifying categories.

The Housing Grants Finder eligibility checker can help organize possible starting paths. It is an informational tool, not a New Hampshire government application and not an official eligibility determination.

Documents to Prepare

• Government-issued identification
• Proof of ownership or occupancy
• Recent household income documentation
• Mortgage and property-tax information when requested
• Homeowners insurance information
• Utility and heating bills for energy programs
• Photographs of the repair problem
• Inspection, code, contractor, lead or medical documentation when relevant
• Written contractor estimates when requested

FAQs

Can I get a grant for a kitchen or bathroom remodel?

Not simply for appearance. If a kitchen has dangerous wiring, failed plumbing, structural damage, or another health and safety problem, a local rehabilitation program may consider the necessary work. Bathroom modifications may also qualify when they are needed for accessibility. Coverage depends on the approved scope of work.

What if I live in a mobile home?

Manufactured-home owners may be able to use Weatherization, income-eligible NHSaves programs, USDA Section 504 when USDA property rules are met, or New Hampshire Community Loan Fund financing. Eligibility depends on ownership, location and the specific program.

How long is the waitlist?

There is no reliable statewide waiting period. Weatherization, lead work, municipal rehabilitation and contractor scheduling all depend on funding, inspections, local workload and urgency. If your heating system has failed, contact your Community Action Agency promptly, but do not rely on a guaranteed two- or three-day replacement.

Does New Hampshire have a free roof program?

There is no universal government program that gives every New Hampshire homeowner a free roof. Necessary roof work may be financed or supported through a municipal rehabilitation program, USDA Section 504, NH Housing’s Emergency Home Repair Loan for eligible borrowers, nonprofit programs, or qualifying disaster assistance.

See our roof replacement assistance options for a broader explanation.

Are federal home energy tax credits still available in 2026?

The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit under Section 25C does not apply to qualifying property placed in service after December 31, 2025. The Residential Clean Energy Credit under Section 25D also ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 under current federal law.

New Hampshire homeowners can still check NHSaves, Weatherization, income-eligible Home Energy Assistance, utility rebates and other state or local programs for current energy-related incentives.

Conclusion

New Hampshire’s 2026 repair programs work best when you match the problem to the right administrator. If the home is in an eligible rural area, check USDA Section 504. If the problem is heating or energy loss, contact your Community Action Agency and NHSaves. Existing New Hampshire Housing borrowers with an emergency repair should ask about EHRL, while lead hazards and accessibility work have separate specialized programs.

For whole-house repairs, contact your town or city and ask specifically whether an owner-occupied rehabilitation program currently serves your address.

Prepare your documents before the application starts, but do not begin non-emergency work just to move faster. An agency may need to inspect the property, approve the scope, verify income, or approve the contractor first.

Most importantly, remember that a grant, rebate, direct service, deferred loan and low-interest loan are not the same thing. Ask the administrator to put the funding and repayment terms in writing before you sign.