Low Income Housing Grants

Low Income Housing Grants

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Low Income Housing Grants
Low income housing grants are provided by the federal government through HUD. The current program is called HOME. This helps increase the number of low income housing for the low and very low income families. Most of these grants are used for renters. The HOME program has been in existence from 1990 as the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (the HOME Investment Partnerships Act).

Requirements for rental housing to obtain low income housing grants is that the families must have incomes that are no more than 60 percent of the HUD adjusted median family income for the area. If the rental apartments have five or more assisted units (or at least 20% of existing units), they must be occupied by families with incomes that do not exceed 50% of the HUD adjusted median. Also it is important to note that the renters receiving the HUD rental assistance must not exceed 80% of the area median.

HUD publishes the income limits yearly by spreadsheet. To find apartments that are approved for low income housing search on websites such as this (www.LowIncomeHousing.us). You can then contact the apartments to see if you qualify based on the HUD low income housing guidelines. Many of these locations now have waiting lists. Make sure you contact them as soon as possible as these extended waiting lists can take many months.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Another important federally funded program for low income households is the LIHEAP program for home energy bills. This federally funded program similar to the HUD HOME program does not specifically provide money directly to the consumer. LIHEAP funds to the states to provide the money. Each state has a LIHEAP office for you to apply.