Rural Development Housing Programs

504 Self-Help Housing Rehabilitation and Repair Program

The Housing Rehabilitation Program is a USDA/Rural Development program that is sponsored and operated by HouseAboutit Community and Economic Development Agency. A grant is offered by this program assists very low-income participants, helps repair health and address safety hazards in their homes. Low interest loans are also available for repairs and/or modernization.

How to apply:
HouseAboutit, is now accepting applications for the Self-Help Housing Rehabilitation and Repair Program. For more information, contact HouseAboutit Self-Help Housing Program at 501-227-0956, Email: selfhelp@houseaboutit.org.

Funding provided by:
USDA Rural Development – 504 Grant and Loan Funds.

USDA Disclaimer 1B
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, and familial status. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

Self-Help Housing Gallery

Frequently Asked Questions About Self- Help Housing Program

What does this program do?

The Housing Rehabilitation Program provides a loan to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes or a grant to elderly, very-low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards.

How do I qualify for this program?

To qualify, you must:

  • Be the homeowner and occupy the house
  • Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
  • Have a family income below 50 percent of the area median income
  • For grants, be age 62 or older and not be able to repay a repair loan

How may funds be used?

  • Loans may be used to repair, improve, or modernize homes, or remove/address health and safety hazards.

How much money can I get?

The maximum loan is $40,000. The maximum grant is $10,000. Loan and grant can be combined for up to $50,000 in assistance.

What are the terms of the loan or grant?

Loan repaid over 20 years. The interest rate is fixed at 1%. All grants must be repaid if the property is sold in less than 3 years. Applicants may be offered a loan and grant combination.

When does loan repayment start?

Once the funds are distributed, repayment will start. 

What are the income limits?

Applicants must earn less than 50% of the area median income for your county of residence. That number is determined by the Federal Government and changes from year to year. (Call, and we will let you know the current income limits for your county)

What are the requirements concerning my current housing situation?

Applicants must own their own home.

Which counties does the Self-Help Housing Program cover?

We currently cover the three following counties:
  • Chicot County
  • Rural Pulaski County – (Little Rock, being classified as urban, is not included.)
  • Rural Jefferson County – (Pine Bluff, being classified as urban, is not included.)

USDA/Rural Development 502 Single-Family Housing Application Packaging Program
“New Home Construction”

USDA Rural Development provides loans in rural areas to finance homes and building sites and provides a path to homeownership for low and very-low-income families living in rural areas.

Providing these affordable homeownership opportunities promotes prosperity, which in turn creates thriving communities and improves the quality of life in rural areas. HouseAboutit Community and Economic Development Agency is a partner with USDA/RD Single-Family Housing Program; HouseAboutit is an outside loan application packager. HouseAboutit Community and Economic Development Agency will assist you in applying for a loan through the USDA/RD Single-Family Housing Program. HouseAboutit do not/cannot guarantee that your loan application will be approved or funded by the USDA/RD Agency.

You are not required to work with a loan application packager to receive assistance from the Agency. You may work directly with the Agency and avoid the loan packaging fee. Working with our organization provided you with the following benefits:

  • We will act as go-between for you and the Agency
  • We will make sure that your paperwork is in order, which should shorten the time it takes for the agency to make a loan decision.