Home Improvement
Loans

Depending on your household income and the neighborhood in which you live, there may be programs available which offer lower interest rates or a grant component. No matter which program you apply for, Home HeadQuarters will always work to place you in the best possible program.

If you have a serious emergency

Submit your completed application form immediately along with any supporting documentation that you have on hand! That will allow us to get help started as soon as possible while you work to submit the remainder of your required supporting documents. If you don’t know what program to apply for, print and fill out the application directly below. HHQ’s underwriting staff will figure out the best program for which you are eligible.

Have questions or want to email us your documents? Send everything to info@homehq.org.

Our Programs

FlexFund provides homeowners throughout New York with loans for home repairs, renovations or energy efficiency-related improvements. There are no income, location or project restrictions with this loan program. All homeowners are welcome to apply.

PROGRAM DETAILS

• The loans currently have a 6.99% fixed interest rate, and are payable over seven (7) years.

• No home equity required, no income eligibility requirements, and no upfront costs.

• Homeowner chooses the contractor.

Thank you to our local FlexFund banking partners for making an investment in Home HeadQuarters and CNY homeowners!

Income-eligible homeowners who live in Onondaga County areas can take advantage of up to $20,000 for eligible exterior or emergency home repairs including grants of up to $6,000 or 30% of the overall loan. Types of home repairs covered can include roofs, siding, doors and window replacement, furnace and hot water tank replacement or repair, plumbing and electrical repair and more.

PROGRAM DETAILS & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• You must own your house in Onondaga County.

• Your repairs must be exterior or an emergency, including: roofs, sewage backup, furnaces, code violations, and other life/safety issues.

• Your household must earn less than 80% of HUD median income guidelines (based on family size).

• Your mortgage must be current.

• The home must be your primary residence.

• You must confirm any COVID-19 impact at any point from 2020 to current, for anyone in your family.

• Repairs exceeding loan limit will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

This program is made possible through Onondaga County and the U.S. Department of HUD.

The Onondaga County Neighborhood Initiative offers homeowners in Cicero, North Syracuse, Mattydale, East Syracuse, and city neighborhoods Strathmore, Elmwood and North and South Valley loans up to $10,000 at 1% interest, payable over seven (7) years. The loans can be used for exterior home improvements. This program is offered through a partnership between Home HeadQuarters and Onondaga County.

New York State Homes & Community Renewal is making funds available to assist income-eligible Oswego County homeowners impacted by Tropical Storm Debby on August 9-10, 2024. The program seeks to offer emergency home repair assistance and/or reimbursement to impacted homeowners who reside in Oswego County (impacted homeowners in other NYS counties can find information on NYSHCR’s website here). These funds will be available to homeowners whose primary residence sustained storm damage and for whom home and/or flood insurance coverage or other forms of disaster recovery funds are not sufficient to return the home to safe and habitable condition. Funding for this program is extremely limited. Funding is available on a first come, first served basis once a completed application is received.

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Funds are limited to emergency housing repairs necessary to make the home safe, sanitary and habitable. Non urgent repairs or repairs to ancillary structures will not be funded under this program.

• Funds may only be used to address damage that occurred as a direct result of the storms and flooding as described above.

• Grants of up to $50,000 are available to income-eligible households. Homeowner must remain in home for the next 24 months.

• Funds are for primary residences only.

• Ineligible activities include deferred maintenance, repairs to boat houses, docks and detached garages, repairs to walks, patios and landscaping, replacement of personal items and more (for a full listing of eligible and ineligible activities visit NYSHCR’s website here).

• Homeowners are required to solicit two contractor bids for requested bids and all applicable building and other permits are required before work can begin.

Home HeadQuarters, in partnership with the Outer Comstock Neighborhood Association, is offering homeowners in the Outer Comstock neighborhood loans of up to $10,000 at 1% interest for interior and exterior home improvements.

New York State homeowners can now take advantage of up to $50,000 in a 50/50 loan/grant program to undertake flood mitigation measures and other climate-ready improvements to their homes including energy upgrades.

To see if you’re eligible for this program, for more program information and to download an application, visit the NYS Resilient Retrofits 50/50 Loan/Grant Program page here!

SHARP provides income-eligible city of Syracuse homeowners with grants of up to $3,000 for exterior and/or interior emergency home repairs. This program is made possible with funding from the U.S. Dept of HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) through the City of Syracuse.

PROGRAM DETAILS & ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Projects must address exterior or interior emergency home repairs, such as: window repair/replacement, hot water heaters, furnace repair, exterior door repair/replacement, step/railing repair, electrical or plumbing emergencies, etc.

• You home must be located within the City of Syracuse.

• Your household must earn less than 80% of HUD median income guidelines (based on family size).

• Your property taxes and water bill must be current.

• The home must be your primary residence.

***The SHARP Program is available on a first come, first served basis. Receipt and/or submittal of a SHARP application in no way guarantees funding or service. SHARP grants are not secured until closing and may be surrendered if not used within the funding period.

The Tipperary Hill New Purchase Rehab Grant Program offers up to a $6,000 grant for exterior property improvements to Tipperary Hill Neighborhood home buyers.

The Urgent Care program provides income-eligible homeowners who live in the city of Syracuse with financial assistance of up to $20,000. The financial assistance is a combination loan/deferred loan (grant) with the payback portion determined by a sliding scale based on household income level.

This program is for EMERGENCY and HEALTH SAFETY REPAIRS: Leaking Roof, Sewage/Plumbing Leak, Non-Working Furnace, Electrical Emergencies, Foundation Collapse, Ramps, Priority Code Violations and other health/safety issues.

PROGRAM DETAILS

• Income-eligible homeowners may receive part of the loan as a deferred loan/non-payback grant. If you qualify, your payback portion is determined by your household income.

• The non-payback portion of this financial assistance includes residency requirements which are secured with a lien on your home.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• You must own and occupy your house in the City of Syracuse.

• Your repairs must be an emergency and or a health/safety issue, including: leaking roofs, sewage backup, broken furnaces, code violations, and other life/safety issues.

• Your household must earn less than 80% of HUD median income guidelines (based on family size).

• Your property taxes and mortgage must be current.

• The home must be your primary residence.