Mississippi has over 128 approved home improvement grants, home repairs grants and home upgrade programs available to lower income homeowners (most programs are based on income). This article provides you with all the main home repair programs offered throughout the state.
There are 5 main sources of financial assistance for home improvement and repair in Mississippi:
1- Federal Programs : HUD (Housing and Urban Development) is the Federal housing agency providing programs and funds to the State, its Counties and Cities.
2- State : Mississippi’s Housing Finance Authority has a program to help with home improvements.
3- Local Community Organizations provide help to lower income homeowners needing repairs.
4- Rural programs: For people living outside of a major city in a rural area and are offered by the USDA. $660,000 offered last years for repairs.5- Counties and cities programs : The organizations offering funds (with $41M) and programs to help Mississippi homeowners with home repair, home rehabilitation and home improvement.
You can review the Federal and the State of Mississippi home repair grants but ultimately your county and city are the ones you need to contact and where you apply for funding.
In general all homeowners are eligible for home improvement and repairs grants and assistance in Mississippi (find them all below). In reality, because the needs are so big, some groups like seniors, veterans, disabled and low-income households are given priority. Even in those case, you need to apply as soon as possible because funds are limited.
So it’s often first arrived first served basis: apply early.
Each program has their own eligibility, so you need to verify with programs in your area to see info you meet the income eligibility level.
| Cities & Suburbs | Rural | |
|---|---|---|
| Low income | HUD, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters, Community Organisations, | USDA, WAP, Cities & Counties programs, State, Disasters, Community Organisations, |
|
Medium/High income |
Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters, HUD | USDA, Home Improvement Loans, State, Disasters. |
Important reminder: Programs such as cities or counties assistance programs determine eligibility based on the median income in your area. This means that even if you have a moderate income, you might qualify for these programs if you live in a wealthier area. In other words, it’s better to verify your edibility with each programs first before thinking you won’t be able to receive funding for your project.
The important thing to keep it mind it that most programs can help with a broad range of home repairs. For example, there’s not only 1 roof program but many programs can help with roof repairs. That’s why we created the projects summary below.
| Window (8) | Heating & HVAC ( 9 ) |
| Roof (7) | Foundation (7 ) |
| Electrical (7) | Bathroom (6) |
| Plumbing (7) | Remodel ( 7) |
| Sewer & water ( 5 ) | Asbestos & lead ( 5 ) |
| Seniors ( 9 ) | City & suburb ( 9 ) |
| Disabled ( 9 ) | Rural (5 ) |
| Veterans (7) |
Can I get a $10,000 grant for home improvement?
What free grants for homeowners for repairs exist?
Who is eligible for government home improvement grant?
Confused about home improvement programs terms?
We know the financial burden of home repairs. The Survey of Homeowners Repairs find many in Mississippi have to postpone them, and have% delay repairs due to financial reasons:
If you have a problem paying for a big home repair, you’re not alone. The programs below can help you find those funds to have your home repaired.
More Home Repair & Renovation Tips:?
Funding Urgent Repairs : Find out how to quickly pay home repairs.
Common Home Repair Cost : Get an idea of the costs for common repairs.
Home Improvement Guide : Your complete guide to planning your next project.
Funding Home Improvements : Learn about financing options to support your renovation.
More Home Improvement & Repair Resources.
Can you get a $10,000 grant for home improvement? Quick answer is yes. Find on this page all the information you need for home improvement programs by the State of Mississippi, by cities and by counties. Learn: how much they provide, if you’re eligible and where to apply.
In general in Mississippi, free grants for home repair help homeowners with:
So yes, government grants for home repairs do exist and you can find them on this page.
Windows are expensive; broken windows, no longer opening, warped frame, drafty and leaking air are a few among many common signs homeowners’ windows need repair or replaced. See also the Windows Replacement Guide for common window problems and replacements. We have a separate resource explaining the programs for windows replacement in Mississippi.
Window programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, WAP, Community Organisations, Disasters
Window programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, WAP, Community Organisations, Disasters
Window programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Window programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Storm debris and damages, roof at the end of their lifespan, hail and wind are always signs of big expenses when it comes to a home roof. But not everyone have a sizable amount ready at any time to fix or replace its roof. See also our Guide to repair or change your roof.
Once it’s time to find a roofer, our community selection of Mississippi’ best roofers can help.
Roof help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Roof help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Roof help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Roof help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Cracks, uneven settling/heaving, soil conditions and drainage system issues are the most common problems requiring foundation repair.
Foundation help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Foundation help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Foundation help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Electrical: Faulty wiring, circuit breaker problems, and electrical panel issues are major concerns.
Plumbing: Leaky pipes, water heater malfunctions, and clogged drains are common plumbing problems.
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Electrical and plumbing help for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Furnace, boiler and HVAC malfunctions, thermostat problems, and duct work leaks cause heating issues while AC compressor failures, refrigerant leaks, and airflow restrictions are major cooling problems.
Furnace and hvac programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Furnace and hvac programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Furnace and hvac programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Furnace and hvac programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Lead paint and asbestos in are still one of the main health hazard in older homes. Removing them is costly and most local governments have a program to help homeowners removing this hazard.
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Asbestos and lead programs for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Fortunately frequent but replacing water line or sewers pipes is very costly. The programs below can help fund this repair or replacement depending of your income and where you live.
Water and sewer programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Water and sewer programs lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Cities & Counties programs, Community Organisations, Disasters
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Water and sewer programs medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
In some cases a home can be remodeled if they need major repairs as long as the cost is not prohibitive. Since the total amount vary by program you have to verify on this page for programs in your area.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
The programs’ goal is to bring bathroom to sanitary and health standards. Improving the bathroom finishing can be done with your own funds or a loan.
Lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
USDA, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Having a disability create issues in a home. Most funding resources let you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, doorways enlargement, are all covered by accessibility programs.
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
HUD, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Accessibility modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
USDA, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Most programs help you upgrade and make modifications to your home in order to be able to live in it much longer as a senior. Ramps, bathroom and kitchen modifications, installation of grab bars, are all covered by home adaptation programs for seniors.
Local Area Agency on Aging can also often help with some repairs.
You can find resources below and the curated resource for senior home modifications.
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Senior home modifications for lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Senior home modifications for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
Living in a city is often more expensive and there are home improvement programs available to city and suburbs homeowners.
Home repair programs for lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations
Home improvement for medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State , Home Improvement Loans
Homeowners in rural areas have to rely on less external resources but there are still resources available to them for home repair and improvements.
Rural homeowner with a lower income:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Rural homeowner with a medium and higher income:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
When the Federal Agency FEMA declare some area(s) of Mississippi a disaster area, the area’s residents can then apply for financial aid.
You can find if your area is declared a disaster area by FEMA here then if it is, claim disaster assistance with the federal government. If you’re impacted by a disaster, you may be able to claim housing, financial, food, medical, etc.
MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) provide grants to local authorities for hazard mitigation and to up to $3,500 for homeowners to strengthen a safe room.
The VA provide grants and VA renovation loans to adapt their housing to their needs when they have a disability. And naturally, veterans are also eligible to all existing home improvement programs:
Veteran with a lower income living in a city or suburb:
HUD, Cities & Counties programs, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Veteran with a lower income living in a rural area:
USDA, State, Community Organisations, Disasters
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a rural area:
USDA, State, Disasters, Home Improvement Loans
Veteran with a medium and higher income in a city or suburb:
HUD, State, Disasters , Home Improvement Loans
HUD is the federal agency funding the Mississippi’s Housing agencies in counties and cities. HUD have many programs from home buyer help, renter help, homeowners funding among many for home repairs and improvements.
2 loans programs helps people renovate, rehabilitate or improve their home (mobile homes included). Both are loan insurances for Mississippi’s homeowners who couldn’t otherwise get a loan:
Rehabilitation and repair loan (insurance): Known as “Title I Property Improvement Loan Program”, it helps you if you have not enough equity for a traditional loan, and the FHA (part of HUD) insure your loan for your lender.
203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance: This a special FHA loan that allows you to finance both the purchase or refinancing of a house and the cost of renovations into a single mortgage.
In both Tittle 1 and 203(k), the money for the renovations is put in an escrow account and is only released to the contractor when the work is completed and inspected by a qualified professional. This helps ensure that the renovations are done properly and that the money is used for its intended purpose. It protects both the lender and you the homeowner.
The state have a few programs to help homeowner repair their home. You can find them below.
Weatherization Assistant Program (WAP) is funded by the Federal but managed locally. It helps improve or change windows for energy efficient ones at no cost. It also pay for attic insulation and ventilation, repair or replace broken heating, cooling and water heaters, as well as many other small work to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
| Spent per Home | Homes Weatherized | Budget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi |
$8,008 |
1,947 | $24M |
Types of assistance:
Find the program detail and apply directly or contact your closest Community Action Agency (see below).
This program is mostly to help pay your heating and cooling cost but it may also help fix, repair or replace broken windows for energy efficient ones.
Find more info about the program eligibility or contact your closest Community Action Agency (see below).
LIHWAP is a federally funded program that helps households with their home water and wastewater bills. At the time of writing this resources, it is not clear where you need to apply. We recommend you apply at the same office as the LIHEAP program above.
The USDA provide home improvement loans and government grants to low-income homeowners in Mississippi’s rural areas.
MS homeowner amounts:
Grant (average): $9,520
Loan (average): $12,420
Who may apply for this program? To qualify, you must:
What is an eligible area?
Applicants may check the address of their home to determine eligibility.
How may funds be used?
Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize housing or remove health and safety hazards.
Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards.
How much money can I get?
What are the terms of the loan or grant?
Is there a deadline to apply?
Applications for this program are accepted through your local USDA’s RD office all year round.
How long does an application take?
Approval times depend on funds availability in your area.
There are official elderly home repair assistance in Mississippi but they are not only for seniors. Seniors, just like all Mississippians, are eligible to the same home improvement programs listed on this page.
You can also contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find local programs for seniors home repairs and home modifications.
You can also find home modifications resources for seniors
We have a specific article explaining Mississippi window programs.
The CAA have 82 local organisations helping with weatherization, LIHEAP plus home repair and home rehabilitation.
With 15 local organizations in Mississippi plus its volunteers, Habitat provide help to low income, disable and elderly homeowners to fix their home. Find and contact your local Habitat organization.
There are 4 Restores (in Gulfport, Ocean Springs, Jackson and Hattiesburg) provide discounted used and surplus building materials, plus appliances and furniture.
Cashout refinance: The VA offer veterans loans to help pay for home improvements and repairs.
Program is a loan helping veterans with a disability make modifications to a home in order to be able live in it with its disability. Program is actually paused. Needed repairs will be determined from an inspection and evaluation of the home.
More information and find participating local banks.
Most counties have approved home repair and government grant programs and most major cities also have similar help for homeowners. Cities and counties received over $41M ($28M CDGB + $13M HOME) last fiscal year to help residents with various programs.
If you don’t see your county or city below you should contact it directly and ask them if the city have a home repair program.
Housing Rehabilitation: Program’s goal is to improve the livability of a home, to extend its life for a minimum of 10 years, and to meet the current minimum building code.
Eligibility:
Repairs can cover following areas:
CDBG Limited Repair Program
The program address lead-based paint and other housing related health hazards in the city homes.
Healthy Homes Production Grant
The city have a minor home repair and rehabilitation program for homeowners.
Hinds county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Hinds residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Hinds and Capital’s area.
Harrison county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Harrison residents have to look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Harrison and the gulf coast area.
Gulfport city doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Gulfport residents can look into their local organizations.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Gulfport and the gulf coast area.
Biloxi doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Biloxi’s residents have to look into their local organizations resources to find home repair help.
DeSoto county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. DeSoto residents have to look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in DeSote area.
Southaven city doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Southhaven residents can look into their local organizations resources.
Rankin county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Rankin residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Rankin and Capital’s area.
Jackson county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Jackson residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Jackson and Capital’s area.
Madison county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Madison residents have to look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Madison and Capital’s area.
Lee county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Lee residents have to look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Lee area and northeast MS.
Forrest county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Forrest residents have to look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Pine Belt area.
The city have 4 main programs helping homeowners repair their home:
Lauderdale county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Its residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Lauderdale and Meridian areas.
Jones county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Jones residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Pine Belt area.
Lamar county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Its residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Lafayette county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Lafayette residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Lafayette area.
Lowndes county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Lowndes area.
Pearl River county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Its residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Pearl River area.
Oktibbeha county doesn’t offer home repair or improvement program. Its residents can look into their local organizations or if you’re in a rural area resources to find home repair help.
Habitat for Humanity is active in Starkville area.
It can be confusing to understand the terms. Lots of different organizations have different words for the same type of help programs: home improvement grant, home repair grants, programs, free grants, relief service, repair assistance, etc. They are all synonyms of programs designed to help low and moderate income homeowners repair and fix important elements of their house.