Home Repair Loan & Independent Living Programs
2024 Update: Increased accessibility grant now available to qualifying homeowners!
Pinellas County offers two programs for homeowners who need major home repairs and/or improvements to make their home more accessible.
Home Repair Loan: Up to $55K at zero interest for major home repairs
If you make $53,500* or less a year as an individual ($76,400 for a family of four), you may qualify for a loan up to $55,000 at 0% interest to make repairs like roofs, windows, exterior doors, HVAC, and housing code-related improvements.
(*Max household income is higher for homeowners residing in a Lealman Tax District per the Property Appraiser (LETF, LFPW). See details below.)
Independent Living Program: Up to $20K grant for accessibility improvements
Homeowners who need accessibility modifications can also qualify for an additional $20,000 grant in conjunction with the Home Repair Loan Program, including grab bars, walk-in showers, wheelchair ramps, and door widening. To be eligible for the grant, applicant must be able to demonstrate need, such as permanent physical impairment and/or the loss of one or more life functions requiring the use of prosthetic equipment, a walker, or a wheelchair.
How to Apply
To apply for both programs, register through our application portal, but FIRST make sure you meet all the following eligibility requirements and collect the required documents (see below):
- Applicant must occupy the home as their primary residence.
- Just Value for the home per the Property Appraiser cannot exceed $375,000.
- Program is only available in Pinellas County, excluding properties located within the city limits of: Belleair Shore, Clearwater, Largo and St. Petersburg (if you live in these cities, check their websites for alternative programs).
- You will not be eligible if your mortgage is currently past due or has been past due in the six months.
- Your household cannot earn more than the following annual income:
| Family Size | 1 Person | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons | 6 Persons | 7 Persons | 8 Persons |
| Maximum Annual Income | $53,500 | $61,150 | $68,800 | $76,400 | $82,550 | $88,650 | $94,750 | $100,850 |
Special income limits apply for homeowners residing within the Lealman CRA. To verify if your property is located in the Lealman CRA, go to www.pcpao.gov and enter your property address. Properties with Tax Districts LETF and LFPW are eligible properties within the Lealman CRA.
Lealman CRA Income Limits:
Family Size | 1 Person | 2 Persons | 3 Persons | 4 Persons | 5 Persons | 6 Persons | 7 Persons | 8 Persons |
| Maximum Annual Income | $80,280 | $91,680 | $103,200 | $114,600 | $123,840 | $132,960 | $142,200 | $151,320 |
Eligible Improvements
Home Repair Loan Program
- Roof – including soffit/fascia
- Windows and exterior doors
- Air conditioning/heating
- Housing Code related electrical upgrades
- Full program and eligibility information is available in the Home Repair Loan Program Information Statement.
Independent Living Program
- Wheelchair ramps
- Railing
- Bathroom grab bars
- Tub to shower conversions
- Walk-in or roll-in showers
- ADA-approved toilets
- Door widening
- Other improvements to promote barrier-free housing.
Required Documents
Applications are time sensitive: Applicants are encouraged to submit within 30 days for priority processing. It is strongly recommended you collect the following documents before you start your application:
- Income documents, such as paystubs, Social Security award letter, pension statement, etc.; tax statements are only permitted if the applicant is self-employed.
- Bank statements (6 months checking; 1 month savings), including all pages and all accounts.
- Homeowner’s Insurance Declaration Page (for Home Repair Loan only). If you do not have insurance, call Pinellas County Community Development before starting your application at (727) 464-8251.
Application details and timeline
To submit an application for the Home Repair Loan Program or the Independent Living Program, eligible homeowners must log into the application portal.
Review the Homeowner Guide for Housing Rehabilitation Applications for instructions on how to register an account and to submit an application.
Community Development staff will review applications on a first completed, first served basis. The average review time is between 2-4 weeks. Once approved, the applicant will be provided a list of qualified contractors to complete the work. The entire process from application to completed work may take from 9-12 months.
Detailed application timeline (click to view)
Note: Timeframes listed are estimates.
- Application Submission Applications must be in a submitted status before County staff begin the review process. Once you start an application, you will need to submit it within 30 days. Applications not submitted after 30 days are automatically withdrawn unless an extension is granted.
- Application Review County staff will work with applicants to gather additional documentation if needed. The quicker documentation is provided, the quicker the approval process will be (typically 2-4 weeks).
- Compliance Review Once an application is complete, County staff submit the application to the Compliance Team for review (24-48 hours).
- Application Approval If an application is approved by Compliance, County staff will issue a formal award letter and request completion of a state-required form. If an application is denied by Compliance, a formal denial letter will be issued. If additional information is needed, County staff will continue working with the homeowner to resolve and finalize their application. (Up to 2 weeks)
- Home Inspection Following application approval, County staff will order a home inspection to be completed by a third-party company. The inspector will conduct a walkthrough of the property and prepare an inspection report (1-2 weeks).
- Bid Period Based on the inspection report, County staff will prepare the project’s Scope of Work. The Scope will be sent to the program’s pool of qualified contractors. Contractors will have an opportunity to walk the property and prepare a bid proposal. The bid proposals will be sent to County staff for review (2-3 weeks).
- Contractor Selection County staff will send the homeowner(s) the bids which were received. The homeowner is permitted to select any of the contractors to complete the work, even if the contractor was not the lowest bidder (1 week).
- Title Search and Closing Once the homeowner selects their contractor, County staff will request a title search. The title company will also provide the amount of closing costs, which are wrapped into the loan. County staff will work with the title company and homeowner to schedule the closing and prepare the mortgage documents (3-5 weeks).
- Pre-Construction At least three days after closing, a pre-construction meeting will be held at the property between the homeowner and contractor facilitated by County staff (3-5 days).
- Construction The program allows at least 90 days to complete the repairs. Extensions can be granted with approval by County staff in the event of material or labor delays (90-120 days).
- Final Inspection Once all repairs have been completed, County staff will conduct a final inspection and send reimbursement to the contractor (1 week).
For more information or application help, call Pinellas County Community Development at (727) 464-8251 or submit our contact form.
Additional Resources
- Energy Star Program
- Foreclosure Prevention Information
- Know Your Options – Resource for housing education and information