The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development announces that adequate funding remains available to assist very low income households with home improvements and appliances.
Rural Development’s Home Repair Loan program offers low-interest (1 percent) loans, up to $20,000, to very low income rural homeowners. Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize homes or to remove health and safety hazards such as plumbing, roofs, electrical repairs, furnaces and to make homes accessible and useable for household members with disabilities. In addition, changes to regulations now allow eligible purposes to include the purchase or installation of equipment in owner-occupied households (e.g. ranges, refrigerators, washers or dryers).
Applicants must own and occupy their home in a rural community and not exceed income guidelines established by county and household size. The family’s income must be below 50 percent of the county median income. For many counties in Nebraska, the income limit for one-four person households is $30,500 and $40,300 for five-eight person households. However, some counties may have higher income limits up to $39,250 for one-four person and $51,850 for five-eight person households.
Please contact your local USDA Rural Development office for the income limits in your county or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ne and click on Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants under Key Programs.
All communities in Nebraska are eligible for housing programs with the exceptions of Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lincoln, North Platte, Omaha and South Sioux City/Dakota City.