What does this program do?
The Housing Preservation Grants program provides grants to sponsoring organizations for the repair or rehabilitation of housing owned or occupied by low- and very-low-income rural citizens. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will award a total of $15,340,826.78 in Housing Preservation Grant Program funding for the repair and rehabilitation of rural housing units.

Who may apply for this program?

• Most State and local governmental entities
• Non-profit organizations
• Federally Recognized Tribes
• Individual homeowners are not eligible

Additional requirements include:

• Applicants must have the necessary background and experience with proven ability to perform the responsibility of repair and rehabilitation of low-income housing.
• Applicants are required to make quarterly progress reports and a final audit on their accomplishments.

What is an eligible area?
Areas that may be served include:

• Rural areas and towns with 20,000 or fewer people — Check eligible addresses
• Federally Recognized Tribal lands

How may funds be used?

• • Applicants provide grants or low-interest loans to repair or rehabilitate housing for low- and very-low-income homeowners.
  • Rental property owners may also receive assistance if they agree to make units available to low- and very-low-income families.

Eligible expenses include:

• • • Repairing or replacing electrical wiring, foundations, roofs, insulation, heating systems and water/waste disposal systems
    • Handicap accessibility features
    • Labor and materials
    • Administrative expenses

For a complete list, see Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1944.664.