Neighborhood Revitalization

Critical Home Repair Program

At present, we are not accepting applications for the home repair program. Please revisit this page at a later date for updates on when applications will reopen.

Helping Long Island residents with affordable home repairs, so they may continue to live in safe and healthy homes.

Critical Home Repair Program

Habitat of Long Island’s Home Repair Programs builds on Habitat’s traditional partnership model using affordable payment options, sweat equity, and volunteer labor to work alongside homeowners to maintain safety and security in their homes.

Community Impact Programs

Communities flourish and prosper through the delivery of projects implemented with a clear vision, love and hope. Through our Home Repair program, we are able to improve neighborhoods, connect neighbors with neighbors and inspire homeowners to build neighborhood pride and become active in their own community.

1. Aging in Place

  • Through our Aging in Place Program, Habitat of Long Island helps older adults age at home and in communities of their choice.
  • Habitat collaborates with human services agencies to evaluate individual needs and provide critical home repairs, modifications and community-based support services specific to each homeowner’s lifestyle to preserve their home and their independence.

2. A Brush with Kindness 

  • A Brush with Kindness is an exterior home preservation program that assists low-moderate income families.
  • It revitalizes the appearance of the neighborhood, strengthens connections with the community through community workdays and helps preserve aging and affordable housing units.
  • Offers painting, yard clean up/landscaping and minor repair services to income-eligible homeowners so they may continue to live in safe, decent homes for years to come.

3. Weatherization

  • Work done to improve the energy efficiency and indoor air quality of a structure.
  • After the initial evaluation, Habitat Long Island will refer the work to a third-party partner.
  • The weatherization scope of work is defined by a comprehensive energy audit.
  • Weatherization project work includes testing of the home upon completion and will include a homeowner education component.
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brush of kindness
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Rock the Block 

Rock the Block is typically a two-day community impact event, that brings together hundreds of volunteers and supporters to work in partnership with neighborhood residents to complete dozens of critical home repairs, property beautification and community-based projects over a single weekend.

The Rock the Block Program is a partnership. While labor is provided at no cost, homeowners will be asked to contribute to the cost of the project materials based on an affordability scale and sweat equity.

What we offer:

Habitat Long Island will assess the repairs needed on the home and determine the cost to complete the work.  Participants in the program must pay for a portion of materials and services. When possible, we will work with volunteers and groups to help us revitalize the home's integrity. Those who partner with Habitat Long Island through this program must complete sweat equity hours as determined upon application.

We provide preventative maintenance, weatherization and preservation repair services.

preventative maintenance

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE:

  • Painting
  • Install carbon monoxide smoke detectors
  • Yard clean up/Landscaping
  • HVAC System Evaluation
  • Roof Assessment
preventative exterior

PREVENTATIVE EXTERIOR REPAIR:

  • Repair or replace fascia, siding and skirting trim
  • Clean, Repair/Replace Gutters
  • Repair/Replace steps and porches
  • Repair/Install railings and ramps
weatherization

WEATHERIZATION:

  • Caulking
  • Foaming
  • Weather-stripping
  • Replace screen door
  • Replace exterior door
Repair costs?

Habitat Long Island will assess the repairs needed on the home and determine the cost to complete the work.  Participants in the program must pay for a portion of materials and services. When possible, we will work with volunteers and groups to help us revitalize the home's integrity. Those who partner with Habitat Long Island through this program may complete sweat equity hours as determined upon application.

Who can we help?

Our Home Repair program seeks to help limited-income Long Island residents including veterans, seniors and disabled homeowners with home repairs at a subsidized rate, allowing homeowners to continue to live in safe, decent homes for years to come.

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Why is home repair important for our community?
  • Families live and thrive in safe, healthy, and well-maintained homes.
  • Neighborhoods become revitalized.
  • Community connections are made.
  • Aging housing stock and affordable housing inventory is preserved.

   DO YOU QUALIFY?

Habitat for Humanity of Long Island has
requirements that you will need to meet in
order to be eligible for a critical home repair.

LEARN MORE

WHAT REPAIRS ARE COVERED?

Habitat Long Island selects eligible repairs for specific
scopes of work that our capacity allows us to perform.

ELIGIBLE REPAIRS

COST OF REPAIR

In keeping with Habitat's tenet of a hand-up and not a hand-out, payment for services will be required on a sliding scale based on household income and the total cost of repair.

PAYMENT INFO

 

READY TO APPLY?

Scroll to the bottom of the page to complete and submit the interest form.

 

Do you qualify?

To qualify for HFHLI Home Repair Program the homeowner and the applicant must meet all of the following criteria: income, need and willingness to partner.

Please review the Home Repair program qualifications and income requirements listed below.

Eligible repairs

SCOPE OF WORK FOR REPAIRS

Projects will involve exterior repair projects that are more extensive than projects that would fit into the A Brush with Kindness program. Interior work may also be considered if it is critical to the integrity of the home. These projects will incorporate volunteer labor whenever appropriate and may require multiple days to complete.

Some scopes of work may forgo volunteer labor and utilize contracted labor in such instances in which professional expertise is required for the safety and quality of the project.

In projects involving only work done by subcontractors, Habitat Long Island will serve as the general contractor. If volunteer labor is utilized, volunteers will work only on the exterior of the home. 

Habitat Long Island will perform the following critical home repairs: 

  • Handicap/Wheelchair Accessible Home Modifications
  • Weatherization Repairs
  • Painting
  • Clean/Repair and Replace Gutters
  • Roof Assessment
  • HVAC System Evaluation
  • Yard Clean Up/Landscaping
  • Other minor repair services to preserve homes exteriors and revitalize neighborhoods

Habitat Long Island will NOT perform the following home repairs:

  • Aesthetic (non-critical) home improvements
  • Repairs to mobile homes or detached garages
  • Projects that would jeopardize the safety of Habitat volunteers or staff participating in the project
Payment Info

In keeping with Habitat's tenet of a hand-up and not a hand-out, payment for services will be required on a sliding scale based upon household income and the amount of repair cost.

Homeowners must repay Habitat for Humanity of Long Island (HFHLI) a percentage based on family income for the cost of materials used and subcontracted labor (as needed). 

Failure to pay the repair costs within a reasonable time under the agreed-upon terms will result in disqualification from the program.

All monies paid in advance will be returned to the family if repairs are not performed. HFHLI will utilize volunteer labor at no cost to homeowners whenever possible, while providing qualified supervision at all times.

Homeowners may seek alternative funding sources (such as reimbursement from area agencies). It is the homeowner's responsibility to seek these funding sources to cover the costs required as per the HFHLI repayment policy.

Homeowners may be referred to programs to help cover and in some instances, save for the repair costs as necessary.

Ready to Apply

Thank you for your interest in Habitat Long Island's Home Repair program. 

Click the link below to download the critical home repair interest form. 

Download 

Program Qualifications 

Habitat long Island performs only owner-occupied home repairs. You must meet the following qualifications to apply:

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1. Need for repair

2. Ability to pay

3. Willingness to partner

To determine Need, the following factors will be assessed:

  • Household income does not exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). See table below for minimum and maximum income guidelines.
  • Home condition in need of repair related to health, life safety issues, or code violations.
  • Home is located within the targeted area. 

To demonstrate their ability to pay, homeowners must be current on all of the following payments at the time of application and repair:

  • Mortgage
  • Sewage
  • Property Taxes 
  • Homeowners Insurance 

To demonstrate their willingness to partner, the homeowner(s) must:

  • Commit to remain in their home for at least 12 months after the repair work is completed.
  • Possess in-force homeowners insurance.
  • Commit to performing sweat equity as determined.
  • Household members or immediate family may complete sweat equity hours where possible. In the event that the home repairs are not suited for family sweat equity hours, Habitat may engage Habitat volunteers or may use designated community partner volunteers.
  • Be screened in accordance with Habitat for Humanity's policies.

Income Requirements

Habitat for Humanity of Long Island (HFHLI) annually updates its Homeownership and Repair Program income requirements based on area market conditions and the Housing and Urban Development Determination of the AMI. Special consideration is given to families within the 30-60% AMI, but HFHLI will accept families up to 80% of the AMI.

We reserve the right to revise these guidelines at any time.

2024 income guidelines english
Application period is currently closed.

Thanks to the kindness of our sponsor, our home repair program is made possible.

Habitat for Humanity of Long Island is an Equal Housing Lender

1. NEED FOR REPAIRS

Nonproselytizing Policy:
Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliated organizations (Habitat for Humanity) will not proselytize, nor will Habitat for Humanity work with entities or individuals who insist on proselytizing as part of their work with Habitat for Humanity. This means that Habitat for Humanity will not offer assistance on the expressed or implied condition that people must (i) adhere to or convert to a particular faith or (ii) listen and respond to messaging designed to induce conversion to a particular faith.

Keeping our limited-income Long Island homeowners safe and healthy at home with affordable home repairs.

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.

We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex, age, disability, marital status, lawful source of income or familial status.

Apply today!


Have any questions? Email us at repair@habitatLINY.org