Government Assistance for Homeowners: Mortgage, Tax, Repair, Energy, and Disaster Help

Government assistance for homeowners by need

The fastest way to get help is to match your problem to the agency that handles it. Most federal money reaches homeowners through a local office, a lender, or a nonprofit, not a check from Washington.

Amounts are federal maximums. Most people get less, and many programs have waiting lists.

Programs that have ended

Many websites still describe pandemic-era programs as if they were open. Two matter most.

The Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). Created by the American Rescue Plan, HAF sent money to states, territories, and tribes to help homeowners catch up on mortgages, property taxes, insurance, and utilities. Treasury's Homeowner Assistance Fund page says the period of performance ended September 30, 2026, so state HAF programs can no longer pay new help from that money. Some states run housing programs with their own funds, so ask your state housing finance agency.

Homeowner "stimulus" payments. No federal stimulus check for homeowners exists or is scheduled. Ads that promise one are usually lead forms or scams. Our page on the homeowner stimulus relief program explains where that idea came from.

Energy tax credits have also changed. The IRS says the residential clean energy credit is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, and the energy efficient home improvement credit covers only property placed in service by that date. Solar panels, heat pumps, or windows installed in 2026 do not qualify for those credits.

Help when you fall behind on the mortgage

Foreclosure prevention now runs mostly through your mortgage servicer, the company you send payments to. Federal mortgage servicing rules from the CFPB generally bar a servicer from making the first foreclosure filing until you are more than 120 days behind. That window is your best chance to apply for help, so call as soon as you know a payment will be late and ask for a "loss mitigation application."

What you can get depends on who backs your loan:

• FHA loans. HUD requires servicers to consider forbearance, repayment plans, loan modifications, and a partial claim. A partial claim is a no-interest second loan held by HUD that brings you current; you repay it when you sell, refinance, or pay off the mortgage.
• VA loans. VA lists special forbearance, repayment plans, traditional, 30-year, and 40-year modifications, and a newer VA partial claim. On its help for trouble making payments page, VA says you first need three on-time payments in a row under a trial plan, and servicers have until November 28, 2026 to add partial claims to their systems. VA loan technicians can be reached at 877-827-3702. If keeping the home will not work, our VA loan short sale guide explains a compromise sale and its effect on your VA benefit.
• USDA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac loans. These have their own forbearance, repayment, and modification options, also applied for through the servicer.

Our mortgage relief programs guide goes through each loan type in detail, including how to find out who owns your loan and your rights while an application is pending. This page stays with the bigger picture.

Free HUD-approved housing counselors

A HUD-approved housing counselor is the single most useful free resource for a homeowner in trouble. These nonprofit counselors help you organize your budget, fill out the servicer's application, understand offers, and spot scams. They also counsel on reverse mortgages, property tax problems, and buying a home.

Find one through HUD's talk to a housing counselor page or by calling 800-569-4287. Counseling is free or low cost, and foreclosure counseling is usually free. Counselors can also tell you whether your state runs a foreclosure mediation program or a state-funded mortgage program now that HAF is over.

Older homeowners thinking about a reverse mortgage should know that the federally insured version, the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, requires a session with a HUD-approved counselor before you apply. The CFPB's reverse mortgage guide covers the costs and risks, including what happens if property taxes or insurance go unpaid.

Property tax relief

Property tax relief comes from states, counties, and cities, not the federal government. Nearly every state offers something, but the rules differ widely. The main types are:

• Homestead exemptions that lower the taxable value of your main home.
• Senior and disability freezes that cap your assessed value or tax bill once you qualify.
• Circuit breaker credits or rebates that refund part of your tax when it takes too much of your income.
• Deferrals that let qualifying owners postpone taxes until the home is sold, usually with a lien and sometimes interest.
• Veteran exemptions for veterans with service-connected disabilities, often larger for higher disability ratings.

Most of these are not automatic. You apply with your county assessor or state revenue agency, often by a spring deadline, and some require you to reapply. Our senior property tax relief guide explains each type with state examples. If you think your assessment is too high, you can also appeal it, usually within a short window after the notice is mailed.

If you are behind on property taxes, call the county treasurer before the tax sale date. Many counties offer installment plans, and a housing counselor can help you ask.

Repair grants and low-cost loans

Repair help is limited and local, but it exists. The main sources are:

USDA Section 504. USDA Rural Development's Single Family Housing Repair Loans and Grants help very low-income owners in eligible rural areas, generally with income at or below 50% of area median. Grants of up to $10,000 are for owners 62 and older to remove health and safety hazards. Loans of up to $40,000 carry a 1% fixed rate over up to 20 years, and the two can be combined for up to $50,000.

City and county programs. Local governments use HUD Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds for repair grants, deferred loans, and emergency fixes like roofs and furnaces. Call your city or county housing or community development office.

Nonprofits. Groups like Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity often partner with these programs for labor.

Our federal home repair grants guide covers each program's limits and how long the process takes. The one rule that applies to all of them: never start work before you have written approval, or the program may not pay.

Lower energy bills

LIHEAP, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, helps homeowners and renters pay heating and cooling bills. Federal rules cap income at 150% of the poverty line or 60% of state median income, and crisis help must be provided within 48 hours, or 18 hours if the situation is life-threatening. States set their own benefit amounts and seasons. Find your state's office on energyhelp.us, or read our LIHEAP guide.

The Weatherization Assistance Program, run by the U.S. Department of Energy through state and local agencies, makes homes more energy efficient at no cost to the household. Work can include insulation, air sealing, and heating system repair or replacement. Income limits generally go up to 200% of the poverty line, and households that get SSI or certain other benefits may qualify automatically. The DOE weatherization page explains how to apply, and our weatherization guide covers what to expect.

Many utilities also offer payment plans, budget billing, and their own hardship funds. Ask before a shutoff notice arrives.

Help after a disaster and insurance gaps

When a fire, flood, storm, or earthquake damages your home, insurance comes first. Federal disaster help is designed to fill gaps, not replace a policy.

1. File your insurance claim right away and photograph all damage before cleanup.
2. Check for a declaration. FEMA's Individuals and Households Program opens only when the President declares a disaster that includes Individual Assistance for your county. For disasters declared from October 1, 2025, the maximum for housing help is $44,800. Register at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.
3. Apply to the SBA if FEMA refers you. SBA disaster loans offer homeowners up to $500,000 to repair or replace a primary home and up to $100,000 for personal property. SBA says the rate is capped at 4% for people who cannot get credit elsewhere, terms run up to 30 years, and there is no payment or interest for the first 12 months. Finish the SBA application even if you do not want a loan, because FEMA may need it to consider other help.

FEMA cannot pay for damage your insurance already covers, but it may help with a deductible or a shortfall after your claim is settled. Keep the insurer's decision letter. Standard homeowners policies usually do not cover flooding, so flood damage often depends on a separate National Flood Insurance Program policy.

The tax code helps too. The IRS says the casualty loss deduction for disasters has been made permanent and, under the 2025 law, now covers state-declared disasters as well as federally declared ones. See IRS Topic 515 for how to figure the loss.

Federal tax rules that affect homeowners

A few tax rules can lower what owning a home costs each year, mainly for people who itemize deductions.

• Mortgage interest. IRS Topic 505 says interest is deductible on up to $750,000 of mortgage debt ($375,000 if married filing separately) for homes bought after December 15, 2017, with higher limits for older loans.
• Property taxes. State and local taxes, including property tax, can be deducted up to the federal cap if you itemize.
• Selling your home. Many owners can exclude a large part of the gain when they sell a main home they lived in for at least two of the last five years.

Free tax help is available through IRS VITA and TCE sites if your income is moderate or you are 60 or older.

Spotting homeowner relief scams

Homeowners in trouble are a favorite target for scams. The CFPB's foreclosure relief scam guide lists the warning signs. Walk away from anyone who:

• asks for an upfront fee to save your home or get you a modification;
• tells you to stop paying your servicer and pay them instead;
• asks you to sign over the deed, even "temporarily";
• promises a sure result or a "government grant" for a fee; or
• pressures you to sign papers you have not read.

Real help, from your servicer, a HUD-approved counselor, or a government office, never requires a payment to apply. If you have been targeted, report it to the CFPB or your state attorney general.

Where should a homeowner start?

1. Name the problem. Mortgage, taxes, repairs, energy, or disaster damage. Use the table above.
2. Call a HUD-approved counselor at 800-569-4287 if you are behind on any housing bill. One call can cover several problems.
3. Call your servicer and ask for a loss mitigation application if the mortgage is the issue.
4. Contact your county assessor about exemptions you may be missing.
5. Apply for LIHEAP and weatherization through your local agency.
6. Check the USA.gov benefit finder for other federal benefits you may qualify for.

Related guides

• Mortgage relief programs
• Federal home repair grants
• Senior property tax relief
• Foreclosure assistance for veterans

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Program rules and funding change, so confirm details with the agency or your servicer before you act. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with HUD, FEMA, USDA, VA, or any government agency.