If you live on tribal lands or in a rural area, check out the resources below:
Financial Help for Home Repairs
Many homeowners need financial help to investigate and fix lead and other health and safety problems in their homes. The links below will connect you to people, resources, and programs near you. Even if these programs can’t provide direct financial assistance, they should be able to direct you to programs and organizations that do.
These resources and programs are generally designed for homeowners because they are the people responsible for fixing hazards in the homes they own. If you are a renter, we recommend you still investigate these links to see the types of local programs your landlord can access to fix health hazards in the home, including those related to lead.
HUD Information on State Resources and Programs
HUD maintains webpages packed with state-specific information about a variety of housing topics. Follow the steps below to find information on home repair loan and grant programs in your area:
- Visit HUD’s State Information landing page.
- Select your state.
- Scroll down to I WANT TO and select Learn About Homeownership.
- Scroll down to Owning and Maintaining Your Home and select Home Repairs.
This Home Repairs page lists programs and resources to help homeowners with home repairs and improvements, some of which may address lead-related mitigation and repair. Environmental health and lead programs are often located in county health departments or local housing departments. If you scroll further down the home repair web page, you’ll see links to programs listed by city, town, and county. - Also, on your state’s Learn About Homeownership page, under Owning and Maintaining Your Home, you’ll find additional helpful links, including:
• Housing resources for seniors
• Health and environmental information
• Rural housing programs - Also, on your state’s Learn About Homeownership page, under Buying a Home, click on Assistance Programs for resources and programs to help you buy and maintain your home.
HUD Lead Hazard Control Grant Program Grantees
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) has two grant programs grants providing funding to help urban, suburban, and rural jurisdictions pay for the identification and control of lead-based paint hazards in privately owned rental and owner-occupied housing. Find a list of HUD OLHCHH Grantee contacts, listed by state (current as of March 8, 2021). Note that these grant programs have strict eligibility requirements, but even if you don’t qualify for assistance, your local program may be able to direct you to other resources available in your state or community.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides funding to state and local health departments to support childhood lead poisoning prevention activities. Visit CDC’s State and Local Programs page, then select your state to find contact addresses and phone numbers for the health department or agency that operates childhood lead poisoning prevention program in your area. While these programs are unlikely to be able to offer financial assistance, they may be able to direct you to resources available in your state or community.
How Homeownership Expenses Can Change as You Age
If you’ve lived in your home for a long time, getting older can mean you finally pay off your mortgage, eliminating a significant monthly expense. But some other significant changes can coincide with the end of your mortgage.
Your home is getting older. It may need updates to avoid looking dated. The wood paneling and brass fixtures that were once in style need to shift to accommodate current trends. Your home may also need a fresh coat of paint, a good pressure washing and updated landscaping.
And inevitably, it will need repairs. Water heaters break. Roofs need maintenance and, eventually, replacement. Air conditioning units stop working. And sometimes, it seems like it’s all happening at once.
Your unique needs can also necessitate home changes. Perhaps retirement means you have more time to garden, but you’ve realized the soil is awful and there’s limited light. Maybe you need a fenced backyard for the puppy you adopted when you retired, or you want to install a swing set for the grandkids.
If you or your partner have chronic health issues or mobility issues, home repairs become more than just a nice bonus. They may be an absolute necessity to ensure your health and safety and reduce the risk of falling.
Strategies for Navigating Home Maintenance Expenses
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed thinking about the time, effort and expenses involved. Those feelings can be profoundly stressful and undermine your quality of life. In one study, researchers found that older adults fear financial difficulties more than death. You don’t need to worry, though. You need a plan.
Outsource: Time is money.
For many seniors, it’s not so much the expense that is the problem but the work. Cleaning the gutters or mowing the lawn might have felt like enjoyable outdoor time in midlife, but now, they’re decidedly risky.
There’s no shame in outsourcing tasks. And doing so can free up valuable time for your family, socializing, hobbies or even for building that business you’ve been dreaming about. Consider making a list of everything that needs to be done on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, then outsource as much as you can afford.
If you’re still working or freelancing, the benefits of outsourcing work are especially high. That’s because time is money. The time you spend on home maintenance could be better spent on something else.
Get expert advice.
Before sinking a bunch of money into home repairs or renovations, it’s important to get expert advice. A real estate agent can help you determine the cost of renovations compared to their potential to increase the value of your home. Landscaping companies, roofers, plumbers and other contractors often give free estimates that can help educate you about the process and its cost.
No matter how much you know, don’t rush into any major expense without some additional expert insights. You may need to do less than you think.
Look into homestead exemptions.
If your home has increased in value, that’s great news for your long-term budget. But it can also mean increasing property taxes. Coupled with home maintenance, this can cause the cost of your home to skyrocket.
In many communities, seniors enjoy various homestead exemptions that can reduce — and sometimes even eliminate — their property taxes. These exemptions are not automatic; you’ll need to file some paperwork. Check with your local government — usually at the county or city level — to assess potential benefits.
Be wary of loans.
A home equity loan can seem like a great idea. But what if you eventually need to move? Then you’re stuck paying off the loan, substantially reducing the profit you get from selling your home. Moreover, an eventual move means you’ll spend less time enjoying any improvements you make, decreasing their overall value to you.
If you need to take out a loan to make home improvements, consider whether other options might be better. Selling your home could help fund the cost of a Life Plan Community (LPC) and open the door to a more active, maintenance-free lifestyle.
Get help from loved ones.
Some home maintenance tasks can truly be fun — planting a garden, for example, or redoing the living room. If you’re no longer up to it, consider enlisting help from loved ones. You might even have a gardening or painting party, put on a movie and serve snacks.
If you’re considering downsizing, enlisting help from loved ones to clean out can expedite the process and maybe even make it fun. Go through family memories together, share the story of heirlooms and maybe even give away a few special pieces of history.
Is It Time to Rightsize?
Your home belongs to you — not the other way around. It’s supposed to serve your needs, support your lifestyle and make life feel easier and more comfortable. But when your home is no longer a good fit, it can feel like you’re devoting much of your time (and money) to meeting your home’s needs.
- You’re no longer using all the space your home offers.
- Cleaning your home feels overwhelming or is something you simply don’t bother with anymore.
- You can’t afford to properly maintain your home.
- You don’t owe anything on your mortgage, but home maintenance expenses are eating into your monthly budget.
- You’re struggling to afford your mortgage.
- Your home no longer meets your needs.
- You feel overwhelmed and stressed out by the demands of home maintenance.
- You don’t feel proud of your home.
- You don’t feel happy in your home.
A Life Plan Community (LPC) offers maintenance-free living embedded in a welcoming community filled with amenities, fun things to do and opportunities to live a life that inspires you. If you’re tired of home maintenance and want to spend more time doing the things you love, the LPC lifestyle could be your next great move.
Deciding when and whether to leave your home can be challenging and fraught with both emotional and financial considerations. If you need help making the decision or weighing various considerations, check out our free guide, “Why Should I Leave My Home? Top 10 Reasons to Consider a Life Plan Community.”
