Government Grants for Housing Available in Some Situations

Recently we merrily enjoyed some exceptions to that rule, mostly in the form of federal tax credits. You could check to see if your state or local government is still offering first-time homebuyer credits or other incentives.

For any non-tax federal program we refer to, call the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 800-569-4287 or 888-995-4673. Click the link to locate most state housing agencies.

In ordinary times, government grants for housing come with strings attached. The location or condition of the housing unit, your income or situation in life, or the home having been in foreclosure might be qualify you for some taxpayer assistance.

The longstanding exception to the rule of thumb that there aren't any such things as government grants is public housing itself, which essentially comes in two forms: public housing where a local housing authority provides housing in complexes or at scattered locations throughout the community, and vouchers that let tenants find their own housing if they find a landlord that will work within government guidelines.

Never pay for information about government grants for housing, and don't trust a commercial website more than you trust the government agency. Unfortunately, sometimes federal, state, and local governments let their website information grow stale, so a phone inquiry is always best after you've done a little background checking on the Internet.

Several states are offering government grants for housing if you buy a foreclosed home or property in a neighborhood heavily impacted by foreclosure.

The HOME program was enacted in 2003 was to furnish down payment assistance for home purchase. For information, call 1-800-998-9999. State and local jurisdictions administer this program, and it is inconsistent from place to place, and from time to time.

Lastly, please check with your local city or county government. Many of them have used their federal foreclosure money to provide actual grants to people purchasing foreclosures. From time to time, they offer first-time homebuyer grants anyway. Conceivably, some offer grants to particular income levels or in specific neighborhoods through their regular Community Development Block Grant program. Tax forfeiture properties are available for purchase for very modest prices, or even $1 in the occasional homesteading program.

On this page, we'll confine ourselves to these few opportunities for government grants for housing. For a much more complete overview of the many ways that governments at various levels might subsidize your purchase of a home or your rent through making loans more affordable, offering free or low-interest loans for home repairs, and so forth, please see the much longer page on government housing assistance in general.

Sorry, this page is totally U.S. centered. Governments worldwide provide many types of housing grants, subsidies, and incentives.

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