Austin Home Repair Grants and Loans (2026)

Three programs, three purposes

Austin Housing (the City of Austin's housing department) doesn't run one all-purpose repair program — it runs three, each with its own income cap and dollar limit. The two grants (Safety Repairs and Modifications, and Plumbing Repairs) cover smaller, urgent fixes and don't need to be repaid. The Home Rehabilitation Loan Program is built for bigger jobs — a full roof, major structural work, even reconstruction — as a 0%-interest loan that's forgiven if you stay in the home long enough.

Eligibility, amounts, and how to apply

• Safety Repairs and Modifications (grant): up to $20,000, no repayment; household income at or below 80% of Median Family Income (MFI).
• Plumbing Repairs (grant): up to $15,000, no repayment; household income at or below 100% MFI.
• Home Rehabilitation Loan Program: 0%-interest loan, forgivable after 15–20 years of continued ownership; up to $75,000 for repairs, or up to $350,000 for demolition and reconstruction of a home that's beyond repair.
• Location and occupancy: all three require owner-occupancy within Austin's full-purpose city limits — check your address if you're near the edge of the city.
• Deadlines: the two grant programs have historically closed applications around October 1 each year — apply well before then.
• Apply: through Austin Housing — see austintexas.gov/housing/home-repair-programs for current applications.

Pro tip from our network contractors

If your repair need spans more than one category — say, a failing roof and outdated plumbing — ask Austin Housing whether you can combine the loan program with one of the grants rather than assuming you have to pick just one.

Outside Austin's full-purpose city limits?

If you're in unincorporated Travis County rather than inside Austin proper, Travis County runs a separate program through Health & Human Services — but as of this writing, the county's own page shows an "Expired" status despite a 2025 county announcement of a new screening tool, so confirm directly with the county before assuming it's available. See Texas's statewide options in our government home repair grants by state guide, and Houston, Harris County, and Dallas in our home repair grants by city and county guide.