Funding Sources for Home Modification The National Council on Aging (NCOA) partnered with the University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School Theof Gerontology National Council on a series on Aging of projects (NCOA) to partnered feature home with modificationthe University and of homeSouthern safety California programs, (USC) assessment Leonard instrumentDavis Schools, ofand Gerontology funding sources on a series to provide of projects resource to features for families home andmodification professionals. and home safety programs, assessment instruments, Program Description Target Populations/Eligibility U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development • Section 504 Home Repair Section 504 Home Repair Loans/ Grants provide Section 504 Repair Loans/Grants: https://www.rd.usda.gov/progra loans (up to $20,000) to very-low-income • Homeowners ms-services/single-family- homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize • Low income housing-repair-loans-grants • Older adults their homes or grants (up to $7,500) to very-low- income older adult homeowners to remove health Eligibility: Behomeowner and occupy • Rural Housing Preservation and safety hazards. Loans with 1% interest are house; Be unable to obtain affordable https://www.rd.usda.gov/progra available for households with repayment ability. credit elsewhere; Have a family ms-services/housing- Grants are available for home owners age 62 and income below 50% of the area median preservation-grants older who are unable to repay a loan. Loans and income; For grants, be age 62 or older grants can be combined for up to $27,500 in and not be able to repay a repair loan assistance Rural Housing Preservation Grants: • Agencies and organizations Rural Housing Preservation Grants • Federally recognized Tribes provide funds to state and local government entities, Eligibility non-profits, and federally recognized Tribes for the Homes must be in rural communities repair or rehabilitation of homes (including of 20,000 people or less or federally accessibility features) occupied by low-income recognized Tribal lands. persons in rural areas. Rental property owners may also receive assistance to make units available to low- and very-low-income families. 1 © 2017. National Council on Aging and USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. Funding Sources for Home Modification Department of Education Assistive Technology Since 1988, the federal "Technology-Related • Homeowners Services for Individuals with Disabilities Act" • Renters • https://www.ataporg.org/ provides grants to set up and operate state-level • People with disabilities Assistive Technology Programs, many of which provide home modifications or partner with lenders that provide loan funds. Vocational Rehabilitation The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), • Homeowners part of the U.S. Dept. of Education, provides "Part • Renters https://www.fda.gov/downloads/A A" funds to state rehabilitation agencies for • Landlords boutFDA/workingatFDA/UCM277 assistive devices or home modifications for • Those with low income 757.pdf individuals with a vocational objective. These • People with disabilities funds are made available through: 1) the state's rehabilitation services agency network; 2) a vocational rehabilitation agency; or 3) local independent living centers. U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance The Weatherization Assistance Program’s primary Eligibility: States set income requirements and give preference to: Program purpose is “to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income • Those receiving Supplemental • https://energy.gov/eere/wipo/abo persons, reduce their total residential energy Security Income or Aid to Families ut-weatherization-assistance- expenditures, and improve their health and safety, with Dependent Children program-0 • People over 60 years of age especially low-income persons who are particularly • https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files • Families with one or more /2017/05/f34/wap_factsheet_08. vulnerable such as the elderly, the disabled, and members with a disability 2017.pdf children.” This includes incidental safety repairs • Families with children (in most when needed. states) 2 © 2017. National Council on Aging and USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. Funding Sources for Home Modification • https://energy.gov/eere/wipo/wh • Homeowners and renters ere-apply-weatherization- • ~20-30 million U.S. families are assistance eligible U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging (AoA) Title III-B Services for local Funds via the AoA flow to State Departments or • Homeowners Area Agencies on Aging Units on Aging to Area Agencies on Aging for • Renters/Landlords community services, which may include home • Low income • https://www.n4a.org/files/OAA% assessments and modifications. • Older adults 20IIIB%20One-Pager_final.pdf • People with disabilities • www.eldercare.gov Centers for Independent Living These nonprofits, funded with federal vocational • Homeowners rehabilitation funds, provide advocacy, skills • Renters http://www.ilru.org/projects/cil- training, counseling, referral and other assistance • Those with low income net/cil-center-and-association- to support community living by persons with • People with disabilities directory disabilities. Some provide loans and grants for home modification. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicaid Home and States can apply for a specific population of • Those with low income Community-Based Services recipients (e.g., older adults) to receive long-term • Older adults (HCBS) Waivers care services and supports in their home or • People with disabilities community by "waiving" the regulations otherwise Eligibility: Individuals must https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/ requiring expenditures in institutional settings. hcbs/authorities/1915-c/index.html demonstrate the need for a level of These 1915-c waivers may include “environmental care that would meet the state’s modifications”. Nearly all states offer services requirements for services in an through HCBS Waivers. institutional setting. 3 © 2017. National Council on Aging and USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. Funding Sources for Home Modification Medicare Advantage CMS expanded the definition of “primarily health • Those with chronic conditions related” to include home and bathroom safety • Open enrollment begins Oct. 2019 devices and modifications that prevent injuries and for coverage in CY 2020. maintain health and function. These include • Note: These benefits are optional shower stools, hand-held showers, and grab bars to plans, may only be offered in certain states, certain regions, or as well as structural improvements such as ramps to certain populations. and widened hall and doorways. Plans may also offer installation and assessment. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development CDBG is a funding stream allocated by HUD to • Homeowners Block Grants (CDBG) state and local governments to support housing, • Renters/Landlords community, and economic development needs • Low to moderate income • CDBG Entitlement Program including home repair/improvement. • Older Adults https://www.hudexchange.info/pr • People with Disabilities ograms/cdbg-entitlement/ The CDBG Entitlement Program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and CDBG Entitlement Program • State CDBG Program counties to develop viable urban communities by Eligibility: https://www.hudexchange.info/pr providing decent housing and a suitable living • Principal cities of Metropolitan ograms/cdbg-state/ environment, principally for low- and moderate- Statistical Areas income persons. • Other metropolitan cities with populations of at least 50,000 Under the State CDBG Program, states award • Qualified urban counties with grants to smaller units of local government that populations of at least 200,000 develop and preserve decent affordable housing • No less than 70% of CDBG funds and provide services to the most vulnerable in our must be used for activities that benefit low and moderate-income communities. Annually, each State develops persons. funding priorities based on need and criteria for selecting projects. HOME Program A number of years after Community Development • Homeowners Block Grants (CDBG) were established, the HOME • Renters Program was created as a block grant allocated to • Low income 4 © 2017. National Council on Aging and USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. Funding Sources for Home Modification • https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/ states and communities to solely focus on housing. • Older Adults HUD?src=/hudprograms/home- It funds many home repair efforts nationwide. Rental Housing: 90% of families program benefited must be at or below 60% • https://www.hud.gov/program_of of the area median income; 10% at fices/comm_planning/affordable or below 80%. housing/programs/home/ • https://www.hudexchange.info/gr Homeownership Assistance: antees/ Families with incomes at/below 80% of area median income Federal Housing These loan guarantee programs are through local Title 1 Home Improvement Administration (FHA) Loan lenders (not direct funding): • Homeowners Insurance • Landlords Title I insures loans for rehabilitating an existing 203(k) Purchase/