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Home Repair Program

 
 
 
 
 
keeping homes and families warm, safe, and dry

121,000 homes in Philadelphia are deemed inadequate for families.

Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s Home Repair programs build on Habitat’s traditional partnership model using affordable payment options, sweat equity, and volunteer labor to work alongside homeowners to maintain safety and security in their homes, make necessary critical repairs, or pay utility bills.

Habitat Philadelphia repair programs include The Federal Home Loan Bank Home Repair Program, the CAPABLE Program, the Veteran Repair Corps Program, and the BUILD Health Challenge. Each of these programs is defined below.

Through each of these home repair programs, the Home Repair Team works diligently alongside Philadelphia homeowners with a focus on repairs that improve quality of life, keep homes warm, safe, and dry, and allow homeowners to “age in place.”

how we work:
The Federal Home Loan Bank Home Repair Program

The Federal Home Loan Bank Home Repair (FHLB) Program partners with homeowners in targeted neighborhoods to make critical repairs at an affordable cost.

We select neighborhoods based on need, and spend several years working alongside homeowners in those communities to make the biggest possible impact in stabilizing homes, blocks, and the neighborhood as a whole. The FHLB Home Repair Program’s work is currently focused in Mill Creek, Belmont, and Mantua in West Philadelphia, and in Brewerytown, Sharswood, North Philadelphia West, and Strawberry Mansion in North Philadelphia.

Are you in need of repairs? Do you live in one of the areas below?

How to apply

In addition to our Federal Home Loan Bank Home Repair Program, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia works alongside homeowners in need of critical repairs who fit in the following categories in the programs below

Fill out our Program Inquiry Form, or contact the Homeowner Services team at family@habitatphiladelphia.org if you fall in one of the categories below.

 
For homeowners 65+

CAPABLE

CAPABLE is a new program to provide aging-in-place repairs for elderly homeowners so that they can remain safe and healthy in their homes for as long as possible and live with the best health possible. This program combines the efforts of the nurses and occupational therapists from Jefferson and Drexel with Habitat’s Home Repair Program in order to “prescribe” changes to the built environment that patients inhabit. Contact family@habitatphiladelphia.org for more information.

 
For military veterans

Home Repair for Veterans

Since 2011, The Home Depot Foundation has generously funded critical repairs on the homes of veterans through Habitat for Humanity’s Philadelphia Veteran Repair Corps program. This program is open to all military veterans throughout Philadelphia, provided they have received an honorable or general discharge, and is not restricted to any specific veteran groups. For an application and more information email family@habitatphiladelphia.org.
Currently, the FHLB application period is on hold until spring 2021. Please check back then to start the application process.

The Federal Home Loan Bank Home Repair Process

Step 1.

Receive Program Information

Attend an FHLB Home Repair Program online information session to learn more about the program and how to apply.  If accessing the information session online is challenging for you, our Family Services Team can schedule a telephone information session.

Interested in This Program?
Step 2.

Submit Application

Homeowners are evaluated on the same core criteria as our Homeownership Program: ability to repay the affordable loan, need for repair services, and willingness to partner with Habitat through the duration of the repair project. Income requirements vary by repair program.

Step 3.

Home Assessment

Habitat conducts a virtual home assessment to determine if the home is a good fit for the FHLB Home Repair Program’s provided services.

Step 4.

Decision

If accepted, homeowners typically hear back from Habitat within 30 days with the project work scope and payment arrangements. Habitat’s Home Repair Coordinator meets with each accepted family to discuss the project and collect a deposit payment.

Step 5.

Project Completion

Upon the completion of the work scope, the Home Repair Coordinator meets again with the homeowner to sign off on the project.

Step 6.

Repayment

The homeowner pays off a portion of the project cost in four equal installments based on their income. Loan amounts are determined on a sliding scale based on income to ensure affordability.

Don’t qualify? Need other forms of assistance?

Philadelphia Homeowner Resources