Benefits · General Assistance

How to apply for Polk County Housing & Neighborhood Development — Housing Repairs + SHIP Assistance

Polk County Government Housing & Neighborhood Development (HND) Division

Who it's for

Polk County's Housing & Neighborhood Development (HND) Division administers the county's housing-focused safety-net programs from its Bartow offices at 1290 Golfview Avenue. The Housing Repairs and Reconstruction program provides assistance to income-eligible Polk homeowners for critical home repairs — including roof repair/replacement, septic system repair, plumbing and electrical hazards, and structural repairs needed to address health and safety concerns. The State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program supports affordable housing rehabilitation and assistance for very-low and low-income Polk residents. HND also coordinates the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships programs and administers the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8) through the Polk County Housing Authority. Note that Polk County's COVID-era Emergency Rental Assistance Program closed after distributing $32.7 million to over 5,000 families — current rental aid flows through partner agencies and HND's longer-term housing-rehabilitation programs. Apply at the HND office or call the Housing Administrative Supervisor at (863) 534-5240. Office hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Polk County's COVID-era Emergency Rental Assistance Program is CLOSED — for current rental aid, contact 211 (United Way of Central Florida) which routes to active partner agencies. Polk County HND's primary safety-net programs now focus on Housing Repairs (for homeowners — health/safety hazards including roof, septic, plumbing, electrical, structural) and SHIP-funded affordable housing rehabilitation. The income gate modeled here (~80% AMI / $47,000 for 1-person household 2026) is the typical SHIP/HUD threshold; specific sub-programs may use stricter gates (very-low-income at 50% AMI for some SHIP set-asides). The Housing Repairs program is per-event — you can apply for separate roof, septic, and HVAC issues. Apply in person at 1290 Golfview Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830, or call (863) 534-5240 for routing.

What you'll need

Government-issued photo ID for the applicant
Proof of Polk County residency
Proof of household income (pay stubs, Social Security award letter, SSA-1099, tax return)
Proof of household size
Proof of homeownership (for Housing Repairs program)
Estimate or contractor quote for repairs (for Housing Repairs program)
Documentation of the health/safety hazard or code violation (for prioritization)

Where to apply

Apply online: official application

By phone: 863-534-5240

Renewals

per-repair-event for Housing Repairs; annual eligibility for SHIP assistance

Official source →Last verified · May 30, 2026

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Not legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.