|
Iowa
March 10, 2026
A worker repairs a house damaged by a tornado in Mississippi. USDA photo by Lance Cheung
|
|
|
USDA Rural Development launched the Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant through the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF) program to assist homeowners make essential repairs and improvements to rural homes affected by an eligible 2024 Presidentially Declared Disasters. Iowa Rural Development received funding for the following three declared disasters: FEMA-4796-DR, FEMA-4784-DR, and FEMA-4779-DR. This program offers a lifetime maximum grant of $32,420.
To be eligible for this program, the applicant must be at least 18 years of age, be located in an eligible rural area, have sustained damage as a result of a presidentially-declared disaster and must fall within the low-income limit for the applicable county and household size.
|
|
|
Eligible uses of the program include:
- Repairs to remove a health or safety hazard that was caused by the disaster.
- Home repair expenses, including the reimbursement of eligible costs incurred prior to application, as long as it was a result of the natural disaster.
- Site preparation and the costs to relocate manufactured homes.
Restrictions to the program:
- The affected home must be the applicant’s primary residence, and they must be listed as the deed holder. Rental properties and secondary homes are NOT eligible.
- Grant recipients must certify that there is no duplication of benefits. This includes any funds that the applicant previously received from FEMA, the State of Iowa, another entity, and/or the insurance company.
- Any non-retirement assets including, but not limited to, money in a checking account, savings account, stocks, bonds, CD’s, revocable trust funds, and equity in real property or other capital investments that are above our asset limits ($15,000 for non-elderly households & $20,000 for elderly households), must be used to reduce the Section 504 DAF request first.
- Funds will not be used to pay for or reimburse for personal belongings, hotel stays, apartment rental costs, storage sheds and repairs to detached garages.
Applications must be submitted directly to the USDA Rural Development State Office in Des Moines, Iowa, at the address below. Applications are being actively accepted, and there is no deadline for submission. These funds are being distributed on a first come, first serve basis until expended.
|
|
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender |
|
|
|
