When it comes to costly home improvements, who wouldn want to use somebody elses money?
For a select few who fit stringent criteria, there are indeed government grants to fund some home improvements. But, for the vast majority, grabbing for government cash will likely end in being duped by a scam. “Billions of dollars go out our doors to cities and larger urban counties and to states to do all kinds of things, and among those things people can use that money for is for rehab activities,” says Brian Sullivan, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Some of this money is in the form of loans, but some goes out as grants, Sullivan says. Of course, there’s a catch: Most of the money is designated for low-income families. By definition, Sullivan says, the recipient cannot earn more than 80 percent of the area’s median income. If you meet those qualifications, the best way to find such sources of money is to contact your local public housing agency or city hall and ask whether there are any federal, state or locally funded programs for rehabi
