Summary
The Senate just passed the ROAD to Housing Act, which includes a new Whole-Home Repairs pilot program. This program would give grants and forgivable loans to help low-income homeowners and small landlords fix unsafe or aging homes. Repairs could cover health hazards, safety issues, energy savings, and accessibility improvements. Local governments and nonprofits would run the program, with up to $30 million available through 2031. Supporters say this is a big step toward keeping families in safe, affordable homes.
The Senate’s bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 has taken a bold step forward—and tucked inside is a key measure: Section 204, the Whole-Home Repair pilot program. This isn’t just policy news—it’s a turning point for how we preserve affordable, safe housing. With communities still struggling against displacement and decay, Fix Our Homes Illinois (FOHI) must urge Congress to see this through to enactment.
Why the Whole-Home Repair Pilot Matters
Too many families live with unsafe conditions—leaky roofs, hazards like mold, aging wiring, or inaccessible homes—simply because they can’t afford repairs. These issues disproportionately impact low-income households and people of color, compounding inequalities in health, safety, and housing stability. Repair is preservation—keeping existing homes habitable, helping residents stay rooted, and preventing the loss of affordable housing.
What Section 204 Delivers
1. A Comprehensive HUD Whole-Home Repair Pilot
If enacted, the program would create a HUD-administered pilot that tackles whole-home repairs head-on, serving both low-income homeowners and small landlords of affordable housing units
2. Homeowner Benefits
Grants would help homeowners—typically at or below 80% of area median income—cover essential repairs not funded elsewhere. Eligible homes include owner-occupied single-family, inherited properties, or manufactured housing, with amounts adjusted to local construction costs.
3. Support for Small Landlords
Small landlords (those owning fewer than 10 rental units) could receive loans—including forgivable loans—for repairs to individual units, common spaces, or structural systems. Loans may be forgiven after three years, contingent on affordability and compliance terms.
4. Local Implementation, National Reach
States and local governments can apply to run the program or partner with nonprofits, tribal housing entities, or other qualified organizations. HUD selects 2 to 10 implementing organizations annually, with no more than one per state.
5. Funding & Timeline
Authorized at up to $30 million total—drawing from HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes—the pilot runs through October 1, 2031. This extended timeline is designed to help communities build capacity and test strategies.
6. Complementary Legislation: PRICE Act
The same housing package also includes the PRICE Act, reauthorizing Preservation and Reinvestment for Community Enhancement (PRICE) grants to support manufactured homes and their communities—an important complement to rehabilitation efforts.
7. Legislative Progress
The Senate Banking Committee unanimously passed the legislation, and a House markup is expected in the fall.
Broad-Based Support for the Whole-Home Repair Pilot
Advocacy organizations—including Coalition for Home Repair, Habitat for Humanity, LISC, National Housing Law Project, and many others—hailed the bill as a vital step forward. Echoing Pennsylvania’s own success with a similar program, the coalition notes that this is a chance to amplify what’s already working and bring it to scale.
Why Fix Our Homes Illinois MUST Push for the Whole-Home Repair Pilot
Section 204 offers:
- A tested, flexible pilot that safeguards existing affordable homes.
- Support for both homeowners and small landlords—building equity across ownership types.
- Paths for workforce development, oversight, and local control.
- Opportunities to advocate before funding is locked in.
- A precedent for future, larger-scale investments in repair infrastructure.
We’re Calling on YOU!
Fix Our Homes Illinois is calling on all supporters to:
- Contact Illinois Representatives and Senators—ask them to support and fund Section 204 in the final bill.
- Share this post widely—help allies and constituents understand the impact.
- Amplify local stories of people benefiting from repair initiatives to personalize advocacy.
- Join the Coalition!
Whole-home repair is more than maintenance—it’s community defense. It keeps families safe in place, restores housing equity, and strengthens neighborhoods. FOHI stands ready to champion this opportunity. It’s time for Congress to deliver.
Simplified Summary
The Senate added a Whole-Home Repairs pilot program to the ROAD to Housing Act. It would give grants to low-income homeowners and loans (that can be forgiven) to small landlords to fix unsafe or aging homes. Repairs could cover health hazards, safety, energy and water use, and accessibility. Local governments and nonprofits would run the program, with up to $30 million available through 2031. The Senate Banking Committee already passed it, and the House will review it in the fall. Many housing groups support it, saying the cheapest home is the one families already live in.