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Critical Home Repair Program

Keeping homeowners safe, comfortable, and at home. 

An elderly man with gray hair, wearing a gray t-shirt, khaki shorts, and a cap, standing outdoors in front of a wooden porch attached to a house.

What Is the Critical
Home Repair Program? 

The Critical Home Repair helps low-income homeowners address health, safety, and accessibility needs in their homes within the city of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. From leaky roofs to wheelchair ramps, this program ensures families can remain in their homes with dignity. 

By preserving homes, we strengthen neighborhoods — making Harrisonburg homes healthier, safer, and more connected for everyone. 

Blue house icon inside a blue circle.
Apply Online Now
Download an Application

How Does It Work?

  1. Application: Submit an interest form during an open application period. 

  2. Assessment: Our team will visit to evaluate repair needs and feasibility. 

  3. Environmental Review: is performed by CDBG Staff 

  4. Partnership Agreement: Approved homeowners will sign an agreement for work to be performed. 

  5. Repairs Begin: Habitat coordinates skilled contractors

  6. Repairs are inspected and finalized to ensure safety and satisfaction.

  7. Certificate of Completion signed by Homeowner 

  8. Deed of Trust signed – Lien signed for 5 years 

A woman with curly red hair and glasses smiling while standing outdoors, cleaning or sweeping a wooden deck.

Do I Qualify?

To be eligible, applicants must: 

  • Own and occupy the home as a primary residence 

  • Live in the City of Harrisonburg 

  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident 

  • Property is not located in a floodplain 

Repairs must fall between $5,000 and $20,000 in estimated cost. 

Icon of a hammer and wrench crossed inside a blue circle.
Apply Online Now
Download an Application

What Types of Repairs Are Covered? 

Aerial view of a backyard with a house, a trampoline, parked cars, a shed, and various outdoor items, surrounded by trees and grass.

Roof Replacements

Two older men working on home renovation in a basement; one standing on a ladder, installing or repairing a ceiling fixture, the other observing and pointing at the ceiling.

HVAC Repairs or Replacements

Two men wearing blue shirts working on a woodworking project under a pavilion, with one holding a cordless drill and the other measuring or arranging wooden planks, and a woman in the background wearing a maroon shirt with yellow lettering.

Accessibility Projects  

Note: Cosmetic upgrades or remodels are not covered. 

Family sitting on a beige couch in a cozy living room, smiling at the camera. There are children and two adults, with the children wearing colorful pajamas and PlayStation and Marvel shirts. The room is decorated with floral curtains and soft lighting.

Why It Matters

Safe, stable housing transforms lives. CDBG not only prevents displacement — it restores dignity, independence, and health. 

This program is one of the most cost-effective ways to invest in our neighbors and our neighborhoods. 

“My house is no longer falling apart around me.
It feels like I can breathe again.” 
— Local Homeowner 

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Support This Mission

Your monetary donation or time spent volunteering helps repair homes — and lives. Common repair projects include…

Volunteer With Us
Donate Monetarily
Close-up of a wooden outdoor handrail attached to a concrete surface, with a blurred background of a wooden fence and a clear blue sky.

New Handrails for Safer Home Entry

Close-up of a person’s hand pointing down a staircase, wearing bracelets and rings, near a light switch with blue LED lighting.

Grab Bars for Accessibility

Older man installing or repairing wiring or electrical fixtures in the ceiling of a wooden structure, using a cordless drill.

Plumbing or Electrical Work

View of the roof of a house with brown shingles, a window with closed blinds below, and a sky with some clouds and leafless trees in the background.

Roof Replacements & Repairs

Not Ready to Apply? Have Questions?

We’re here to help.

Our Impact

News
Helping Seniors Age in Place
Helping Seniors Age in Place

Our mission has always been about more than building houses; it is about creating safe, stable, and livable homes for everyone in our community. We cannot achieve this mission without partnerships.

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Critical Home Repair Restores Penny’s Sense of Safety at Home
Critical Home Repair Restores Penny’s Sense of Safety at Home

Sometimes, we only know what we take for granted once it becomes challenging. For Penny Halterman, a typical evening at home took a dramatic twist when navigating the stairs; she tripped over her cat and tumbled to the bottom. The fall left her with a broken leg, which was accompanied by some challenges and a what-if: What if Penny had something to lean on?

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Empowering Seniors to Age Gracefully with Critical Home Repairs
Empowering Seniors to Age Gracefully with Critical Home Repairs

Life's challenges often present us with unexpected hurdles, testing our strength and resolve. For David and Nancy Carr, these challenges became even more profound when Nancy was diagnosed with bone cancer. Reflecting on the journey, David recalls, "I'm really thankful for Habitat because they made her quality of life so much better, especially when she could only leave the house in the wheelchair." The Carrs' story is a shining example of how Habitat for Humanity's Critical Home Repair program doesn't just repair houses; it repairs lives.

Read More →
Critical Home Repair Program Aids Homeowners
Critical Home Repair Program Aids Homeowners

Our Critical Home Repair Program aims to provide repairs and renovations to the homes of homeowners like Charity. The program prioritizes repairs that are necessary for the health and safety of the homeowners, accessibility, and the weatherization of the home; as well as repairs that will have the greatest impact on the value of the home.

Read More →