Home Improvement

Grants, Aid & Loans

List of third-party resources for low-income, disabled and veteran homeowners living in Berkshire County

A program providing loans to very low income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes; as well as, grants to the elderly (62 +) to help remove health and safety hazards.

Maximum loan is $40k at a fixed rate of 1% paid over 20 years. Full title service is required for loans over $25k; maximum grant amount is $10k.

Requirements:

• Be the homeowner and occupy the house
• Be unable to obtain affordable credit elsewhere
• Have a family income within the very low income limit
• Be located in a rural eligible area (*see map below)

Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to:
- Lead paint removal
- Roofs, windows and siding
- Plumbing and electrical
- Making a dwelling more accessible for persons with disabilities
- Repair of sewer lines

Requirements:

• Income eligible (less than 80% AMI for family size and gross income) - See income chart

Fill-out an application for the home improvement program
Learn more about the process
Visit the program’s website

For questions or more information, contact the Department of Community Development located at 70 Allen St. in Pittsfield, Ma.

An affordable loan offered by MassHousing that provides affordable, fixed-rate loans aimed to help homeowners improve and maintain their homes. Offered at a 5% interest-rate. Loan amounts range from $7,500-$50,000 over a 15-year term.

Eligible improvements include, but are not limited to:
- Enhancing basic living conditions
- Safety or energy efficiency
- Adding, altering renovating, or repairing a home
- Making a dwelling fully accessible for persons with physical disabilities
- Bringing a home up to standard state or local building codes

Requirements:

• Max. income limit of $120,400
• 1-to-4-family properties & condominiums only
• Lived there for at least 1 year
• Good credit and stable income
• No reimbursement for work started pre-loan closing

More information on the program
View a list of participating lenders and apply

For questions or more information, contact the HomeOwnership Team at: 888-843-6432 or by email at: homeownership@masshousing.com

This program is offered by the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and provides zero-interest, deferred loans to modify the homes of elders (ages 60+) and adults & children with disabilities

Home modifications can include bathroom and kitchen upgrades, ramps, stair-lifts and/or platform lifts, sensory or therapy spaces, hard-wired alarm systems, fences, and accessory dwelling units

Watch an informative YouTube video 🎥 about the program

For more information, as well as to check eligibilty, visit their page on Mass.gov.

To apply, complete an application and contact: Susan Gillam at: (866)500-5599 or by email at: sgillam@cedac.org

A housing rehabilitation program that offers incentives up to $30,000 in assistance for low- to moderate- income homeowners (or landlords occupied units). It’s purpose is to provide necessary improvements in order to ensure compliance with all applicable, state, local and federal codes.

Eligible repairs can include:
- Roofing and structural repairs
- Water supply and septic system repairs
- Energy efficiency improvements
- Plumbing, electrical & more

 Requirements:

• HUD income guidelines
• Property cannot have any outstanding liens or be in foreclosure
• Homeowner must be up-to-date on local property taxes 

For more information, visit Berkshire Regional Planning Commission’s website or contact them directly at 1 Fenn St. Suite 201 in Pittsfield, Ma by calling (413) 442-1521

Veteran-Specific
 

The HISA benefit provides medically necessary home modifications for veterans and service members up to $6,800 for service-connected disabilities or $2,000 for other qualifying disabilities.

Eligible repairs typically include things like:
- Installing ramps
- Roll-in showers
- Accessibility to bathroom and kitchen counters
- Improving entrance paths or driveways in immediate area of the home
- Improving plumbing or electrical systems made necessary due to installation of home medical equipment

Requirements:

• A prescription from a VA physician
• Submission of Form VA 10-0103

For more information, visit the Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Services website or contact the Pittsfield VA Clinic at 78 Center St. 2nd Fl. in Pittsfield, Ma by calling (413) 499-2672 and ask to speak with someone about the VA Home Improvements and Structural Alterations Program

Offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, SAH enables veterans with service-related disabilities to receive grants to build, buy, or modify a home with grants of up to $121,812 for FY 2025.

 Requirements:

• You own or will own the home
• You have a qualifying service-connected disability 

Specially Adapted Housing (SHA) Program
Similar to the SAH program, except with grant amounts of up to $24,405 and with slightly different requirements

Requirements:

• You or a family member own or will own the home
• You have a qualifying service-connected disability 

To apply for an adapted housing grant complete the application and contact 1(800) 698-2411 for assistance and additional information
 
 

It’s worth noting, that Owens Corning (a high-quality reputable roofing product manufacturer) offers a veteran roofing repair program in Massachusetts through its Roof Deployment Project that supplies roofing materials, like shingles, at no cost and local platinum preferred contractors donate their labor to help honor military veterans and their families.

* However, unfortunately the implementation varies by local Habitat for Humanity and at the the time of this posting update (August, 2025) we’re unable to locate an affiliate actively offering the program in Berkshire County. The closest area that we can see where it has been successfully implemented is in Worcester.

For more up-to-date information on this program, we recommend contacting Habitat for Humanity MetroWest, where the program is currently managed, at (508) 799-9529 ext. 109.

Help Us Expand Our Resources

If you're connected to a program offering discounted home improvement services, let us know using the form below, so that we can add it to our list and help the right programs reach the right people.