Mutual Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Grants

What does this program do?
Provides grants to qualified organizations to help them carry out local self-help housing construction projects. Grant recipients supervise groups of very-low- and low-income individuals and families as they construct their own homes in rural areas. The group members provide most of the construction labor on each other’s homes, with technical assistance from the organization overseeing the project.

Who may apply for this program?
Eligible applicants include:

• Government non-profit organizations
• Federally-recognized Tribes
• Private non-profit organizations

What is an eligible area?
Applicants can check eligible areas at eligible addresses.

How may funds be used?

• Give technical and supervisory assistance to participating families
• Help other organizations provide self-help technical and supervisory assistance
• Recruit families, help them complete loan applications and carry out other related activities that enable them to participate

Funds MAY NOT be used to:

• Hire people to perform construction work for participants
• Buy real estate, building materials or other property
• Pay debts, expenses or costs for the participants
• Pay for employee training
• Pay other indirect costs. Contact your local office for details

How do we get started?
Applications for this program are accepted through our local officesyear round.

Who can answer questions?
Contact your local office.

What governs this program?

• The Housing Act of 1949 as amended, 7 CFR 1944-I
• Agency Instruction – 1944-I

Why does USDA Rural Development do this?
By working in partnership with trusted local organizations, this program helps very-low- and low-income families get affordable, clean and safe homes of their own in rural areas. Very-low-income families living in substandard housing are given first priority for loan assistance.