Housing and home ownership can be a wonderful and rewarding process for an individual or family, but the financial strain that comes with such an endeavor can make this seem impossible. However, there are housing grants that could provide these future homeowners the chance to relieve some of this stress. These home grants are provided by federal and state government agencies and are made available for those who fall under certain income levels. These levels are determined based on one’s location and many of these government grants are funded by U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Rural housing grants are one of these types of federal housing programs that apply specifically to areas that meet the criteria to be considered rural. These grants can provide financial support for rent, ownership, and/or home repairs and any family who meets the income limitations for their area can apply to such programs. There is more detailed information on the HUD website for programs like this.
For those looking to purchase their first home, homeownership voucher programs could provide a helping hand. This category of grant could offer assistance with down payments, living expenses, and mortgage payments. In order to qualify, homeowners must not have owned the property for the previous three years and must use this home as their primary residence.
If a lower income family is more in the market for a rental and would like to apply for assistance through one of these federal housing programs, the housing choice voucher program provides grants to such families and allows them to choose a housing rental that suits their needs. Similarly, the designated housing vouchers program provides a similar service to those who are disabled and qualify for such programs.
State government grants are also available for first-time home buyers, but these are restricted not only by income level but also number of people in the household and the home purchase price. Each state has different stipulations for such government housing grants , and with some time and research an individual or family can start looking for a place that they could one day call home.