This is the third part of MFP’s Survey on Homeowner Use of Official Government Repair Programs. This part covers homeowners’ satisfaction with the different level of programs and finally review the main barriers to fund home repairs (from personal reasons to programs’ barriers)
Updated: March 12, 2025
Second part highlight where homeowners get help for their home repairs (Federal, State, County and city, Non-profits). It also goes over homeowners awareness of those programs and access to these programs.
Homeowners Satisfaction with Government Home Repair Programs
Federal Programs
- These are uniform across states and function as loans, which means once a homeowner is approved for the home loan, the process to access funding is straightforward. This standardization tends to lead to consistently high satisfaction rates.
State Programs
- Satisfaction with state programs can vary considerably. In some states, extensive direct help is available, while in others, support is limited. Generally, when homeowners are approved, they report high satisfaction, but the overall picture varies depending on the state’s level of assistance.
City/County Programs
- These programs exhibit the widest variation because they are influenced by local governance. Differences in resources, management, and priorities at the city or county level create a broader range of satisfaction scores both within and across states.
Non-Profit Programs
- Focused on emergency repairs and weatherization, non-profit initiatives are well-intention and broadly offered. However, because these programs can differ significantly in structure and execution, they show a wide spectrum of satisfaction levels.
This breakdown underline that while federal programs benefit from uniformity and streamlined processes, the variability in state, city/county, and non-profit programs suggests homeowners are still fairly satisfied with the funding and services provided across all levels.
| State | Federal | State | County/City | Non-profits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 75% | 62% | 64% | 54% |
| Alaska | 75% | 72% | 72% | 65% |
| Arizona | 70% | 80% | 56% | 70% |
| Arkansas | 88% | 87% | 56% | 79% |
| California | 78% | 92% | 64% | 58% |
| Colorado | 72% | 83% | 75% | 74% |
| Connecticut | 86% | 72% | 63% | 66% |
| Delaware | 79% | 90% | 65% | 80% |
| DC | 75% | 77% | 58% | 52% |
| Florida | 71% | 70% | 61% | 77% |
| Georgia | 72% | 94% | 75% | 74% |
| Hawaii | 73% | 92% | 73% | 59% |
| Idaho | 86% | 74% | 63% | 50% |
| Illinois | 79% | 82% | 66% | 46% |
| Indiana | 76% | 85% | 75% | 76% |
| Iowa | 87% | 83% | 58% | 79% |
| Kansas | 87% | 73% | 63% | 38% |
| Kentucky | 84% | 77% | 69% | 56% |
| Louisiana | 72% | 74% | 68% | 48% |
| Maine | 74% | 73% | 76% | 54% |
| Maryland | 71% | 84% | 69% | 38% |
| Massachusetts | 72% | 79% | 65% | 43% |
| Michigan | 78% | 85% | 71% | 50% |
| Minnesota | 91% | 81% | 59% | 41% |
| Mississippi | 77% | 75% | 72% | 39% |
| Missouri | 78% | 90% | 77% | 52% |
| Montana | 90% | 88% | 77% | 70% |
| Nebraska | 82% | 84% | 63% | 39% |
| Nevada | 82% | 81% | 71% | 53% |
| New Hampshire | 71% | 90% | 66% | 41% |
| New Jersey | 72% | 84% | 69% | 56% |
| New Mexico | 79% | 84% | 56% | 65% |
| New York | 78% | 90% | 63% | 47% |
| North Carolina | 92% | 86% | 80% | 63% |
| North Dakota | 71% | 76% | 78% | 70% |
| Ohio | 79% | 81% | 63% | 44% |
| Oklahoma | 77% | 93% | 68% | 43% |
| Oregon | 80% | 70% | 65% | 48% |
| Pennsylvania | 72% | 76% | 67% | 61% |
| Rhode Island | 90% | 85% | 75% | 71% |
| South Carolina | 86% | 85% | 74% | 57% |
| South Dakota | 78% | 88% | 76% | 48% |
| Tennessee | 84% | 93% | 77% | 69% |
| Texas | 86% | 85% | 69% | 40% |
| Utah | 71% | 89% | 59% | 37% |
| Vermont | 80% | 72% | 66% | 50% |
| Virginia | 84% | 71% | 79% | 39% |
| Washington | 91% | 69% | 60% | 56% |
| West Virginia | 86% | 74% | 72% | 45% |
| Wisconsin | 71% | 85% | 67% | 77% |
| Wyoming | 76% | 87% | 61% | 80% |
Homeowners Barriers for Home Repair & Access to Programs
MFP’s Programs Survey shows with the high demand for home repairs, a big portion of homeowners can’t pay for their home repairs. Once it comes to home repair government programs, lack of eligibility is often an issue. Then when homeowners are eligible lack of sufficient funding for local programs means some homeowners have to wait, sometimes a few years, to receive their funding.
Lack of Personal Funding
What the Data Shows: Personal finance is the first and most frequently cited barrier across all states, with percentages ranging from 40% to 64%. States like South Carolina (64%), Nebraska (63%), and Connecticut (62%) have the highest percentages of homeowners struggling with this issue.
Implications
- Homeowners in these states may be facing income constraints, high living costs, or insufficient savings to afford repairs. States with high personal finance concerns may need to explore income support programs, grants, or subsidized loans to help homeowners bridge the gap.
Lack of Credit to Get Normal Loans
What the Data Shows: Personal credit is a less common but still significant barrier, with percentages ranging from 12% to 55%. States like New Mexico (55%), Oregon (51%), and Nevada (51%) have the highest percentages of homeowners citing credit issues.
Implications
- Homeowners in these states may have poor credit scores, limited credit history, or high debt burdens, making it difficult to secure traditional loans. States could consider alternative financing options, such as low-interest loans, credit-building programs, or partnerships with community development financial institutions (CDFIs).
Do Not Fit into Program Eligibility When They Want to Apply
What the Data Shows: Program eligibility is the least cited barrier, but it still affects a significant portion of homeowners in some states. Percentages range from 15% to 36%, with Louisiana (36%), New Mexico (36%), and Montana (36%) having the highest percentages.
Implications
- More homeowners in these states may face eligibility criteria they can’t fill, lack of awareness about programs, or mismatches between program requirements and homeowner needs.
- States could simplify eligibility criteria, expand outreach efforts, or create more flexible programs** to ensure more homeowners qualify.
When They Fit, Often the Program No Longer Has Funding
What the Data Shows: Program funding is a moderate to significant barrier, with percentages ranging from 29% to 60%. States like Florida (60%), Ohio (59%), and Virginia (58%) have the highest percentages of homeowners citing this issue.
Implications
- Even when homeowners meet eligibility criteria, insufficient program funding prevents them from accessing assistance. States with high program funding concerns may need to increase funding allocations, seek federal or private grants, or prioritize high-need areas to ensure programs remain viable.
Potential Solutions
Increase Funding for Home Repair Programs: States with high program funding concerns (e.g., Florida, Ohio, Virginia) should prioritize increasing funding through state budgets, federal grants, or public-private partnerships.
Expand Eligibility Criteria: States with high eligibility concerns (e.g., Louisiana, New Mexico, Montana) should simplify and broaden eligibility requirements to ensure more homeowners qualify.
Enhance Outreach and Awareness: Many homeowners may not be aware of existing programs. States should invest in outreach campaigns to ensure eligible homeowners know about available resources.
Target High-Need Areas: States should continue prioritizing funding and resources for areas with the highest concentrations of need, such as rural communities or regions affected by natural disasters.
| State | Personal Finance | Personal Credit | Program Funding | Program Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 52% | 52% | 45% | 24% |
| Alaska | 49% | 28% | 37% | 20% |
| Arizona | 41% | 38% | 38% | 34% |
| Arkansas | 48% | 38% | 32% | 26% |
| California | 42% | 52% | 36% | 18% |
| Colorado | 55% | 41% | 40% | 17% |
| Connecticut | 62% | 25% | 53% | 15% |
| Delaware | 46% | 46% | 38% | 28% |
| DC | 46% | 27% | 52% | 26% |
| Florida | 55% | 43% | 60% | 22% |
| Georgia | 61% | 15% | 39% | 25% |
| Hawaii | 58% | 29% | 31% | 18% |
| Idaho | 47% | 37% | 46% | 33% |
| Illinois | 54% | 33% | 47% | 22% |
| Indiana | 56% | 16% | 45% | 36% |
| Iowa | 48% | 25% | 36% | 26% |
| Kansas | 47% | 12% | 49% | 25% |
| Kentucky | 42% | 30% | 48% | 29% |
| Louisiana | 44% | 40% | 37% | 36% |
| Maine | 62% | 15% | 37% | 25% |
| Maryland | 41% | 30% | 56% | 35% |
| Massachusetts | 48% | 34% | 32% | 27% |
| Michigan | 44% | 30% | 30% | 21% |
| Minnesota | 61% | 35% | 46% | 31% |
| Mississippi | 43% | 37% | 35% | 18% |
| Missouri | 49% | 20% | 37% | 29% |
| Montana | 41% | 50% | 57% | 36% |
| Nebraska | 63% | 28% | 33% | 17% |
| Nevada | 60% | 51% | 48% | 36% |
| New Hampshire | 43% | 40% | 55% | 28% |
| New Jersey | 46% | 15% | 41% | 15% |
| New Mexico | 52% | 55% | 36% | 36% |
| New York | 61% | 16% | 36% | 25% |
| North Carolina | 60% | 34% | 56% | 31% |
| North Dakota | 48% | 43% | 55% | 33% |
| Ohio | 53% | 17% | 59% | 35% |
| Oklahoma | 56% | 39% | 42% | 23% |
| Oregon | 59% | 51% | 58% | 35% |
| Pennsylvania | 49% | 33% | 48% | 19% |
| Rhode Island | 57% | 16% | 30% | 34% |
| South Carolina | 64% | 22% | 33% | 33% |
| South Dakota | 50% | 32% | 45% | 15% |
| Tennessee | 57% | 44% | 46% | 23% |
| Texas | 50% | 27% | 45% | 22% |
| Utah | 50% | 30% | 36% | 33% |
| Vermont | 62% | 24% | 42% | 18% |
| Virginia | 49% | 18% | 58% | 25% |
| Washington | 54% | 37% | 31% | 21% |
| West Virginia | 52% | 43% | 43% | 29% |
| Wisconsin | 40% | 41% | 46% | 32% |
| Wyoming | 64% | 40% | 29% | 17% |
Next: MFP’s Home Major Repair Survey and Homeowners Small Repair Survey.