Emergency Home Repair Assistance
Eligibility
Application Process
Emergency Home Repair Assistance
Emergency Home Repair Assistance offers eligible homeowners up to $10,000 to fund critical home repairs or modifications necessary to allow the homeowner to remain in the home. It does not cover general remodeling costs.
To be eligible for Emergency Home Repair Assistance:
- The applicant must currently own and occupy the property as their primary residence.
- The property must be located in West Virginia.
- The applicant’s household income cannot exceed 150% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or 100% of the median income for the United States, whichever is greater.
- The applicant experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic after January 21, 2020 (including a hardship that began before January 21, 2020, but continued after that date).
- The applicant must describe and attest to a financial hardship after January 21, 2020, such as a job loss, a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs for health care, or experienced other financial hardship due directly, or indirectly, to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Documentation Requirements:
- Proof of ID
- Proof of income
- Attestation and description of hardship
- Proof of residency
- A signed third-party authorization form
- Proof of ownership
- Description of the repair and a detailed work and cost proposal from an eligible contractor dated within 60 days of the application.
- Photos supporting the critical nature of the requested repair.
Eligible properties include single-family dwellings (attached or detached) located in West Virginia and used as a primary residence. This includes 1-4 family units where the applicant occupies one of the units; condominiums; townhouses; modular and manufactured homes; and both double- and single-wide homes affixed or unaffixed to real property.
No. Applicants who receive Emergency Home Repair Assistance are not expected to repay.
The funds will be paid to the eligible, licensed contractor who will complete the necessary repairs to your home.
You are. The West Virginia Homeowners Rescue Program is not responsible for helping you locate or hire a contractor to complete repairs on your home. The Program also will not be held liable for the quality or completeness of work. For a list of licensed contractors in West Virginia, click here: (http://business.cawv.org/list/search?q=all)
A critical home repair/modification is one that is required to make the home safe and habitable. This may include the following repairs/modifications if the failure to address the repair/modification will result in the involuntary displacement of the homeowner:
- Accessibility modifications (wheelchair ramp, safety modifications for bathrooms, etc.)
- Heating/cooling
- Plumbing/septic repairs
- Structural issues
- Environmental remediation (mold, asbestos, lead-based paint)
- Electrical repairs
- Roof repair
No. As long as you own your home and it is your primary residence, you do not have to have a mortgage to qualify for this assistance.
Yes. Applicants who meet initial eligibility for homeowner expenses will also be eligible for approved home repairs up to $10,000, subject to repair and contractor review and approval.
If more than one repair is needed, the eligible homeowner must choose the most critical that can be paid within the program limit. Other repairs may be completed with funding outside of the Home Repair Assistance.
Yes. If you have an existing application that is either in process or has been approved, call 844-542-0035 and a program representative will note your file that you would like to add an emergency repair assistance claim and send to you the additional paperwork required to submit for your home repairs to be considered. Do not submit a new application. The claim will be added to your existing application.
If you have already received mortgage assistance through the program and are behind again more than two payments or 60 days, you will be required to bring your mortgage to 30 days or less delinquent in order to qualify for emergency home repairs.
Contractors licensed to do business in West Virginia and that are insured to at least $500,000 may do work for an eligible applicant who has been approved for assistance. Contractors must submit to the program a copy of their Certificate of Existence from the WV Secretary of State’s office, as well as proof of insurance and a W-9 tax form in order to be considered for payment.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the WV Homeowner Rescue Program:
- The applicant must currently own and occupy the property as their primary residence.
- The property must be located in West Virginia.
- Household income cannot exceed 150% of the Area Median Income (AMI) or 100% of the median income for the United States, whichever is greater.
- Homeowners are eligible for assistance if they experienced a financial hardship after January 21, 2020 (including a hardship that began before January 21, 2020 but continued after that date due to Covid-19).
- Homeowners must describe and attest to financial hardship after January 21, 2020, such as job loss, a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs for health care, or other financial hardship due directly or indirectly to the Covid-19 outbreak.
- Assistance is not available for expenses related to second homes, vacant or abandoned properties, or investment properties.
- The original, unpaid principal balance of the homeowner’s first mortgage or housing loan, at the time of origination, was not greater than the conforming loan limit in effect at time of origination. Click here for the conforming loan limits
- Co-owners are not permitted to separately apply for the WVHR Program.
- WVHR funds will not be awarded for expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any other federal, state, or local assistance.
No. The WVHR is available to homeowners who do not owe a mortgage on their home to help with past due utilities, internet, property taxes, insurance, and other housing expenses.
Household members include all adults and children living in the unit, including the following;
- Children temporarily absent due to placement in a foster home
- Children in joint custody who live in unit at least 50% of the time
- Children away at school but live with the family during recess
- Unborn children of pregnant women
- Children in the process of being adopted
- Temporarily absent family members who are still considered family members
- Family members in the hospital or rehab facility for limited or fixed time
- Persons permanently confined to a hospital or nursing home.
Does not include live-in aides, guests or individuals living in the unit with a separate lease.
No, the WVHR assists those that own their primary residence. If you are a renter seeking assistance you may be eligible for the Mountaineer Rental Assistance Program.
Income from all household members 18 years and older is included.
Applicants may provide evidence that at least one member of the household is currently receiving assistance through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Program (TANF); the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Section 8 or other government subsidized rent, or Medicaid to meet WVHR’s income requirements.
Applicants living in certain zip codes may also automatically qualify.
Applicants who cannot meet WVHR’s income requirements can provide 2021 Form 1040-Federal Income Tax Returns or income documents for the past 30 days, such as paystubs, unemployment statements*, Social Security statements, and other benefit statements, as applicable.
Exceptions can be made to the documentation requirement “as reasonably necessary to accommodate extenuating circumstances, such as disabilities, practical challenges related to the pandemic, or a lack of technological access by homeowners. In these cases, the HAF participant is still responsible for making the required determination regarding household income and documenting that determination.”
* To obtain unemployment statements please visit:
https://pua.workforcewv.org/vosnet/loginintro.aspx?plang=E
Yes. Unemployment benefits count as income for this program.
No. WVHR does not reimburse applicants for any expenses already paid.
No. Payments may be made directly to the lender, loan servicer, utility company, internet provider, insurance company, county tax department, or authorized third party as appropriate
No. You cannot be reimbursed for payments you have already made.
Yes. There is a limit for each type of WVHR assistance.
Property must be the homeowner’s primary residence. Property may be a house, condominium, duplex, townhouse, or mobile home.
Yes, if you own a trailer home or own the trailer and rent the lot, you may be eligible for assistance on the trailer payments and/or expenses.
WVHR funds will not be awarded assistance for eligible expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any other federal, state or local assistance program. However, eligible households may qualify for WVHR assistance for eligible expenses that are not covered by another source.
Application Process
Click here for a list of documents you will need to apply. All required documents must be provided before an application can be completed. Having all your documents ready when you begin your application will make the application process easier and will allow WVHR team members to begin reviewing your application to provide your assistance.
No, an application is not a guarantee of assistance. Only fully completed applications that provide all required documentation will be reviewed for eligibility.
Applicants who receive a notice of incomplete application with instructions to provide missing information must successfully provide all necessary information to move their application forward. Funding will not be reserved for incomplete applications. Applicants who fail to provide all required information or are found ineligible based on the program’s requirements will not receive assistance.
Applications that could be considered eligible may not receive assistance if funding is no longer available under the program.
Applications will be reviewed after a complete application, including supporting documents, is received.
Yes, you will be notified if you are ineligible, and the reason will be provided.
PDF or JPEG picture files can be submitted. Please make sure your PDF or JPEG files are clear and easy to read. You can preview your documents after upload to review before submitting.
If a document is unclear, applicants will be contacted to resubmit information and cause a delay in processing your application.
Please submit an email to explaining the error and providing the correct information. Do not include your social security number, account numbers or other private information in the email. Be sure to include your first and last name and complete address in the email. In the subject line of your email include “WVHR APPLICATION CORRECTION.”
- Log into your application at any time to check its status.
- Check your email inbox frequently (at least daily), including the spam folder, to make sure you are seeing, and responding to any communications that may have been sent by the program processor handling your application.
WVHR is managed by the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF). The WVHDF has contracted with partner organizations to provide administrative support under the WVHR program. These partner organizations may contact applicants to request follow-up information.
After you fill out your application and upload all requested documents, you must complete the application by selecting “Finish” at the bottom of the final page. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Once an application is completed, it may take several weeks for approval. Please check your email frequently for messages requesting additional information to keep your application moving through the approval process.
Applicants’ sensitive information will be protected at all times and is coded to ensure duplicate payments are not made.
No. However, WVHR participants who falsified documentation required by the program or received duplicate benefits will be required to repay assistance.
You will receive notification that payment has been made. However, participants may wish to contact your mortgage company or other organizations to confirm.