Benefits · Housing Assistance
How to apply for Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation (ESFR) — Major Home Repairs
North Carolina Housing Finance Agency — local government and nonprofit providers
Who it's for
ESFR pays for major repairs to your home if you are older or have a disability and your income is at or below 80% of the median for your area. It covers the health-and-safety work a home needs to stay liveable. The help comes as a loan, but it charges no interest, you make no payments, and it is forgiven over time — currently at a rate between $8,000 and $14,000 a year depending on which funding cycle you are approved in. A local government or nonprofit in your county runs the program, decides whether you qualify, and hires and supervises the contractors.
Household income must be at or below 80% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size. IMPORTANT: ESFR is NOT available everywhere every year — the agency serves 33 to 34 counties annually on a three-year rotating basis, depending on federal HOME funding, and households in the large CDBG entitlement cities of Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Raleigh and Winston-Salem are not eligible. Check whether your county has an approved ESFR provider in the current cycle before applying.
What you'll need
- Proof you own and live in the home
- Household income documentation
- Proof of age or of disability
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 1-919-877-5700
What to say when you call
"Hello, I'm calling to ask about Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation (ESFR) — Major Home Repairs. I'd like to know whether I may qualify, what documents I need, and whether I can apply online, by mail, by phone, or in person. I understand I may need proof you own and live in the home, household income documentation, proof of age or of disability — is anything else required? What is the best next step?"
Tip: have a pen ready, ask for the person's name, and write down any case or reference number they give you.
Renewals
one-time rehabilitation; the deferred loan is forgiven over the following years
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.