Homeowners, Property Tax & Repairs · Surprise rank #254
Own a Small Home in NYC? The City Lends for Repairs — and May Forgive the Loan
HPD's HomeFix program gives owners of one- to four-family NYC homes low-interest, no-interest or potentially forgivable loans for essential repairs, paired with free financial counseling. It is aimed at owners banks will not lend to.
Who
Owner-occupants of one- to four-family homes anywhere in the five boroughs, especially lower- and moderate-income owners and seniors who cannot get affordable financing from a bank.
Where: All five boroughs of New York City. Not available in Nassau or Suffolk.
What to do
Start here: Start at HPD's Homeowner Resources page or call 311 and ask for HomeFix. HPD routes applicants to partner nonprofit housing counseling organizations who take the application and manage the process.
Eligibility: Own and occupy a one- to four-family home in New York City, meet HPD's income limits (the program targets low-to-middle income owners), and be current on property taxes and water charges. Loan terms, including whether the loan is forgivable, are set by income level.
What you get
HomeFix funds the repairs that keep a home safe and habitable: heating, hot water, electrical and plumbing systems, roofs, structural work, windows, sidewalks and paving, and energy-efficiency upgrades. Depending on your income, the loan can carry no interest and can be structured so that it is forgiven rather than repaid. Applications run through HPD's nonprofit partner network, which also provides housing counseling alongside the financing.
Benefit: Financing for essential repairs on terms private lenders do not offer — low or zero interest, and potentially forgivable so you may never repay the principal.
Possible value: HPD has described HomeFix loans of up to $60,000 per unit, and its 2019 launch announcement referenced loans up to $150,000; a completed Canarsie project for a low-income senior was funded at nearly $50,000 for a roof, structural work and new windows. Confirm the current cap with HPD, because published figures differ across HPD announcements from different years.
Good to know
Important: This is financing, not a grant — forgiveness depends on your income and the loan terms you are offered, so do not assume the money is free. Published loan maximums have changed over the life of the program and HPD has re-procured its delivery partners, so the amount and the intake organization you are told about second-hand may be out of date. The program serves roughly 100 homeowners a year, so it is not an entitlement, and being current on taxes and water charges is usually required before closing.
Availability: Active; capacity-limited and administered through partner nonprofits. Terms and loan maximums have changed over time — verify current figures with HPD.
Why people miss it: Homeowners who have already been turned down by a bank stop looking for financing altogether, and never find out the city runs its own lending program with far softer terms.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026