How to apply for Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation (ESFR) — Major Home Repairs in North Carolina

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.

What you'll need

• Proof you own and live in the home
• Household income documentation
• Proof of age or of disability

Where to apply

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.

Step by step

1. Check availability first. ESFR is not offered in every county every year. The program serves 33 to 34 counties on a three-year rotating cycle, and households in Charlotte, Durham, Greensboro, Raleigh, and Winston-Salem are not eligible. Confirm that your county has an approved ESFR provider in the current funding cycle before moving forward.
2. Gather proof that you own and live in the home. This can include a deed, mortgage statement, or similar ownership document along with something that shows the home is your primary residence.
3. Gather household income documentation for everyone living in the home. Your total household income must be at or below 80% of the area median income for your county and household size.
4. Gather proof of your age or your disability, whichever applies to your situation.
5. Apply through the local government or nonprofit provider in your county. You can find and contact a provider by calling the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency at 1-919-877-5700 or by applying online through the agency.
6. Work with your local provider to complete the application. The local provider reviews your eligibility, inspects your home, and determines what repairs are needed.
7. If approved, your local provider will hire and supervise the contractors who complete the health-and-safety repairs on your home.

What to expect: After you submit your application, the local government or nonprofit provider in your county will review your documents and assess your home's repair needs. Processing times vary, so ask your local provider for an estimate of how long the process takes in your area. If you are approved, the assistance comes as a deferred loan with no interest and no monthly payments — it is forgiven over the following years at a rate that depends on which funding cycle you are approved in. Because this is a one-time rehabilitation program, there is no annual renewal; once the repairs are complete and the loan is in place, it continues to be forgiven over time with no further application required on your part.

Renewals

one-time rehabilitation; the deferred loan is forgiven over the following years