NOTE: California is currently participating in a pilot program that increases the program limits. Grants are available up to $10,000 (up from $7,500) and loans are available up to $40,000 (up from $20,000) with a maximum of $50,000 (up from $27,500) assistance. Contact our staff to learn more.
What does this program do?
Also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, this provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes or grants to elderly very-low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards.
Who may apply for this program?
To qualify, you must:
- Be the homeowner and occupy the house
- Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
- Have a household income that does not exceed the very low limit by county
- For grants, be age 62 or older
What is an eligible rural area?
Utilizing the USDA Eligibility Site you can enter a specific address for determination or just search the map to review general eligible areas.
How may funds be used?
- Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize homes or remove health and safety hazards
- Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards
How much money can I get?
- Maximum loan is $40,000
- Maximum grant is $10,000
- Loans and grants can be combined for up to $50,000 in assistance
What are the terms of the loan or grant?
- Loans are termed for 20 years
- Loan interest rate is fixed at 1%
- Full title service is required if the total outstanding balance on Section 504 loans is greater than $25,000
- Grants have a lifetime limit of $10,000
- Grants must be repaid if the property is sold in less than 3 years
Is there a deadline to apply?
- Applications for this program are accepted through your local RD office year round
How long does an application take?
Approval times depend on funding availability in your area. Talk to a USDA home loan specialist in your area for help with the application
Who can answer questions and how do I get started?
Contact a USDA home loan specialist in your area
What governs this program?
- The Housing Act of 1949 as amended, 7 CFR Part 3550
- HB-1-3550 - Direct Single Family Housing Loans and Grants Field Office Handbook
Why does USDA Rural Development do this?
Helping people stay in their own home and keep it in good repair helps families and their communities. Homeownership helps families and individuals build savings over time. It strengthens communities and helps many kinds of businesses that support the local economy.
NOTE: Because citations and other information may be subject to change, please always consult the program instructions listed in the section above titled "What Governs this Program?" Applicants may also contact your local office for assistance.
NOTE: Please select your state using the "Select your location" menu above. By doing so, any state specific forms and resources will be shown above this note.
Applicant Resources:
Prior to applying, potential applicants are encouraged (but are not required) to go through an informal prequalification process to determine if the repair program may be a good fit for them. To start, potential applicants can contact their local Rural Development office and provide the following documentation:
- Form RD 3550-35, Section 504 Home Repair Loan and Grant Program Intake Form
- Form RD 3550-1, Authorization to Release Information
Very-low income homeowners in rural areas interested in applying for the repair program (preferably after going through the prequalification process as described above) can contact their local Rural Development office and provide the following documentation:
- Form RD 410-4, Uniform Residential Loan Application
- Form RD 3550-1, Authorization to Release Information
- Form RD 3550-4, Employment and Asset Certification
- All application items listed in Attachment 12-E Checklist
Borrower Resources:
- Homeowners Information Guide - English version
- Homeowners Information Guide - Spanish version
Rural Development Staff and Application Packager Resources:
- The 504 Automated Worksheet is a tool designed to identify what type of assistance a homeowner may receive; however, is not a final eligibility determination. The tool can be used to package 504 loans and grants.
- Repair packagers are not subject to the certified packaging process for purchase loans. Information regarding the 504 packaging process can be found in HB-1-3550, Chapter 3, Attachment 3-A.
- Repair packagers must sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State Office.
- Allowable packaging fees to any public, tribe or private nonprofit organizations may be included in repair loans and grants.
- Packagers are encouraged to visit the Direct Loan Application Packagers page for information and resources specific to packaging Section 502 Home Purchase Program.
- Eligibility for repair assistance considers the applicant's age, household income, and Total Debt (TD) ratio. To qualify for a grant, the applicant must be 62 or older.
Individual states may have particular requirements based on state and local regulations. Please contact the state office in the state where your project is located.
There are no other additional requirements at the national level. If there are additional state-specific requirements they will be listed above.
State Office:
Main Phone Number: (530) 792-5800 extension 1
USDA Rural Development
Attn: Single Family Housing
430 G St, Agency 4169
Davis, CA 95616
Stephen Nnodim, Single Family Housing Program Director
stephen.nnodim@usda.gov | (530) 792-5830
Contacts
Debbie Morris, State Loan Coordinator (South)
debbie.morris@usda.gov | (530) 792-5820
Debbie Boyd, State Loan Coordinator (North) HPG Coordinator
debbie.boyd2@usda.gov | (530) 570-2034
Maggie Slater, CA State Self Help Coordinator
magdalena.slater@usda.gov | (760) 347-3675 x3471
Roger Gardner, Loan Specialist
roger.gardner@usda.gov | (530) 792-5804
Paula Galvan, Loan Specialist
paula.galvan@usda.gov | (530) 792-5823
Rosie Jaurige, Loan Technician
rosie.jaurige@usda.gov | (530) 792-5809
Annette Fields, Loan Technician
annette.fields@usda.gov | (530) 792-5802
Guaranteed loans are centralized across the state
Email address: SFHGLPONE@usda.gov
Direct loan and grant contacts
Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama & Trinity Counties
Daniel Ferreira, Loan Specialist
daniel.ferreira@usda.gov | (530) 691-5850
Alameda, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz & Sonoma Counties
Sylvia Barbosa, Area Coordinator
sylvia.barbosa@usda.gov | (831) 975-7740
Lupe Benavides, Loan Specialist
lupe.benavides@usda.gov | (831) 975-7738
Amador, Alpine, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Solano, Sutter, Yolo & Yuba Counties
Nicole Roldan-Leben, Area Coordinator
nicole.roldan@usda.gov | (530) 693-3162
Barinder Kaur, Loan Specialist
barinder.kaur@usda.gov | (530) 693-3174
Sumanjeet Dhanju, Loan Specialist
Sumanjeet.dhanju@usda.gov | (530) 217-6252
Wanda Thompson, Loan Technician
wanda.thompson@usda.gov | (530) 217-6249
Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus & Tuolumne Counties
Liz Vannata, Area Coordinator
liz.vannata@usda.gov |(559) 490-8030
Doris Geisenheimer, Loan Specialist
doris.geisenheimer@usda.gov | (209) 205-4968
Alma Jaquez, Loan Specialist
alma.jaquez@usda.gov | 209-205-4970
Rebecca Didway, Loan Specialist
rebecca.didway@usda.gov | (559) 754-3158
Inyo, Kern, Kings, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare & Ventura Counties
Stacy Lopez, Area Coordinator
stacy.lopez@usda.gov | (559) 754-3154
Fariha Harooni, Loan Specialist
fariha.harooni@usda.gov | (661) 281-2754
John Nicolet, Loan Specialist
john.nicolet@usda.gov | 661-281-2743
Imperial, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside & San Bernardino Counties
Patty Coronado, Area Coordinator
patty.coronado@usda.gov | (760) 355-2208 x109
Alejandro Macias, Loan Specialist
alejandro.macias@usda.gov | (760) 355-2208 x105
Maurice Brundidge, Loan Specialist
maurice.brundidge1@usda.gov | (760) 355-2208 X107
Anne Boden, Loan Specialist
anne.boden@usda.gov | (951) 902-6564