USDA Rural Development Section 504 Home Repair Program

How it works

The county’s official resource guide explains that USDA Rural Development’s Section 504 Home Repair Program offers loan and/or grant assistance to low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards.

What the money covers

The guide says grants may cover:

• Repairing roofs
• Providing toilet facilities
• Providing a convenient and sanitary water supply
• Repairs to make the dwelling accessible for household members with disabilities

It also says loans with generous terms are available for general repairs and improvements that remove health and safety hazards, as long as the dwelling remains modest in size and design.

Amounts

• The lifetime maximum grant amount listed in the county guide is $10,000.
• The guide says the amount is based on the applicant’s ability to repay and that grants must be used in conjunction with the Repair and Rehabilitation Loan.

How to apply

The county guide directs residents to USDA Rural Development and provides a phone number and federal program page. The county guide is informational only and does not itself administer the program.

Timing

The official county guide does not provide a Cortland County-specific deadline.