Government assistance programs — housing, food, healthcare, and more. 87 programs available.
Showing 13 programs
U.S. Department of the Treasury
ERAP provides financial assistance to low-income renters experiencing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent eviction and housing instability. Funds cover up to 18 months of past-due and prospective rent, utilities, and other qualifying housing costs. Eligible households must earn at or below 80% of area median income and demonstrate COVID-related financial hardship.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD's Good Neighbor Next Door program offers law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and pre-K through 12th-grade teachers a 50% discount on the list price of eligible HUD-owned single-family homes located in designated revitalization areas. Buyers must commit to living in the purchased home as their sole residence for at least 36 months. Properties are listed weekly on the HUD Homestore website and must be purchased through a registered HUD-approved real estate agent.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HOPWA provides housing assistance and supportive services for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families who are at risk of homelessness or residing in substandard housing. Funded services include short-term rent and utility assistance, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and case management. Grants are awarded to states, cities, and nonprofit organizations that deliver services directly to clients across the country.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD's Housing Counseling Program funds a national network of approved nonprofit agencies to provide free or low-cost counseling on buying a home, renting, avoiding foreclosure, resolving homelessness, and improving financial literacy. Counselors help individuals understand their rights, navigate housing options, and develop sustainable household budgets. Services are available in multiple languages and are open to people of all income levels.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD's Public Housing program provides safe, decent, and affordable rental housing for low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities through local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) that manage approximately one million housing units nationwide. Rent is typically capped at 30% of the household's adjusted gross income, making it the most affordable option for very low-income households. Applications are submitted directly to the local PHA, and waiting lists are common due to high demand.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
The Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program is the federal government's major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Participants find their own housing and use the voucher to pay for all or part of the rent. The program is administered by local public housing agencies (PHAs).
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development / U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
HUD-VASH combines HUD Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance with ongoing VA case management and clinical services to help homeless veterans achieve stable, permanent housing. Veterans use the voucher to lease private-market housing while VA social workers provide mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling, and employment support. It is the nation's largest permanent supportive housing program for veterans and has helped house over 100,000 veterans since its inception.
NeighborWorks America
NeighborWorks America and its network of nearly 250 local nonprofit organizations provide down payment assistance, closing cost assistance, and homebuyer education for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers. Programs vary by location but typically help buyers purchase homes in targeted neighborhoods and communities across the U.S.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Section 811 funds nonprofit organizations to develop and operate affordable rental housing with supportive services for low-income adults with significant disabilities, enabling them to live independently in the community. The program provides project-based rental assistance and requires coordination with state Medicaid programs to deliver long-term supports and services such as personal care, transportation, and employment assistance. Referrals are typically made through state housing and Medicaid agencies.
USDA Rural Development
The Section 504 Home Repair program provides loans and grants to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve, or modernize their homes or to remove health and safety hazards. Grants are provided to elderly (age 62+) very-low-income homeowners. The program is available only in eligible rural areas and helps homeowners who cannot afford commercial financing.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
USDA's Section 515 Rural Rental Housing program finances the construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing in rural communities for low- and moderate-income families, elderly residents, and persons with disabilities. Loans carry below-market interest rates of as low as 1%, significantly reducing rents for tenants who may also receive Section 8 assistance to lower their out-of-pocket costs further. Housing must be located in a rural area with a population of 35,000 or fewer.
USDA Rural Development
This program assists low- and very-low-income applicants in obtaining decent, safe, and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to reduce the applicant's repayment obligation. Payment assistance is a type of subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment temporarily for a period of time. The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted family income.
USDA Rural Development
The Section 504 Home Repair Grant helps very low-income rural homeowners aged 62 and older remove health and safety hazards or make accessibility modifications to their homes. Grants up to $10,000 cover repairs such as roof replacement, heating system fixes, plumbing, electrical upgrades, and disability-related modifications. Recipients must own and occupy the property and be unable to afford a repair loan.