Every Way to Pay for Home Modifications
No single program pays for everything. Most families combine two or three: a local grant for small items, a larger program for a bathroom or ramp, and a tax deduction for what they pay themselves.
New to this? Read how to pay for home modifications first; it explains which programs to try in which order.
Area Agencies on Aging: Home Repair and Modification Help
The local Area Agency on Aging is the best first call for adults 60 and older; many fund small repairs and safety changes or know who does.
State Assistive Technology Programs: Try, Borrow, Reuse and Finance Equipment
Your state's Assistive Technology program lets you test and borrow equipment, get used items cheaply, and in some states take out low-cost loans.
Centers for Independent Living: Disability-Led Help to Stay Home
Centers for Independent Living are disability-led nonprofits that help with advocacy, housing, assistive technology and finding money for home changes.
VA Home Modification Grants (SAH, SHA, TRA and HISA)
Four VA grants that help Veterans with qualifying disabilities adapt a home, from small HISA jobs to whole-house SAH projects.
USDA Section 504 Home Repair Loans and Grants
Rural homeowners with very low incomes can get 1% repair loans, and those 62 and older can get grants to remove health and safety hazards.
Medicaid Waivers That Pay for Home Modifications
State Medicaid waiver programs can pay for home changes that help someone who needs nursing-home-level care stay at home instead.
Does Medicare Pay for Home Modifications?
Original Medicare pays for medical equipment, not home remodeling, but some Medicare Advantage plans offer safety items or modifications as extra benefits.
CDBG Home Repair and Accessibility Programs (Community Development Block Grants)
Your city or county may use federal Community Development Block Grant money for home repair grants or loans, including ramps and barrier removal.
HUD HOME Program: Homeowner Rehabilitation and Accessibility Help
HOME is a HUD block grant that many states and cities use for homeowner rehab grants and deferred loans, and accessibility work is an eligible cost.
Weatherization Assistance Program: Free Energy and Safety Upgrades
A free federal program, run by local agencies, that insulates homes, seals leaks and fixes heating systems for income-eligible households, with priority for older adults.
Vocational Rehabilitation: Home Modifications for Working Adults with Disabilities
If a disability makes it hard to get or keep a job, your state VR agency may pay for home changes tied to your work goal, at any age.
Nonprofit Home Repair Programs for Older Adults (Rebuilding Together, Habitat and More)
Volunteer-powered nonprofits like Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity repair and adapt homes for lower-income older homeowners, often at little or no cost.
Using a Reverse Mortgage (HECM) to Pay for Home Modifications
Homeowners 62 and older can turn home equity into cash for modifications with an FHA-insured HECM, but it costs money and reduces what heirs inherit.
FHA 203(k) Loans for Accessibility Renovations
An FHA 203(k) mortgage lets you buy or refinance a home and include the cost of renovations, including accessibility work, in one loan.
Deducting Home Modifications as a Medical Expense (IRS Publication 502)
Many accessibility changes can count as deductible medical expenses if you itemize, under the IRS rules in Publication 502.
State Tax Credits and Property Tax Breaks for Home Accessibility
A handful of states give income tax credits or keep property taxes from rising when you make a home more accessible. Here is how the main ones work.
State Housing Finance Agency Repair and Accessibility Programs
Your state's housing finance agency may offer low- or no-interest accessibility loans, repair loans, or barrier-removal grants through local partners.