Small Repair Grant Program Application
The Hanover Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) is piloting a new Small Repair Grant Program to provide assistance to low and moderate-income Hanover homeowners to make essential repairs and modifications to their homes primarily for health and safety reasons. This will help residents facing affordability challenges that can come with investment in these home repairs.
For the current application period, applications are due by May 31, 2026, and grants are expected to be awarded by June 30, 2026.
Grants of up to $5,000 are offered on an annual basis, and there is no repayment required unless the grant recipient does not comply with the Grant Agreement or the terms of the program.
Qualifications
To be eligible for this grant, you must meet the following requirements:
- Your property must be your primary residence and be located in Hanover.
- You must have owned your home for a minimum of one year prior to application.
- All real estate taxes, water bills, or other municipal account payments must be current.
- Have a household income below 90 percent of the current year's area median income (AMI) for the Town of Hanover. AMI changes annually based on HUD calculations. For 2025, 90% of AMI for Hanover is $104,220 (1 person), $119,115 (2 person), $134,010 (3 person), $148,860 (4 person).
- You must intend to remain living in your home as the primary resident for at least 1 year following receipt of the grant funds.
- In accepting a Grant from this Program, you must sign a Grant Agreement.
Eligible Projects
The Small Grant Program provides financial assistance primarily to correct conditions dangerous to health and safety and substandard conditions. The Hanover Affordable Housing Trust uses the MassHousing Capital Improvement guidelines as its minimum standard for eligible projects. Some examples: minor plumbing, carpentry, window repairs, gutters or downspouts, door repairs or replacements, step or porch repairs, lock repair or replacement, cement work or masonry repair, tiling, plaster patching and wallpapering, sheet-rock repair, smoke/CO2 detectors, weather stripping, electrical, heating, floors, installation, masonry, siding, roofing, bathroom grab bars, raised toilets or toilet seats, hand-held shower heads, railings or other adaptive projects. The program is not intended to support strictly cosmetic or aesthetic changes to the residence.
For requests exceeding $1,500, two or more quotes from licensed and insured contractors are required, as well as pictures of the area to be worked on. For projects $1,500 or less, one quote is permissible. Town employees, including special municipal employees, are not eligible contractors in accordance with MGL Chapter 268A, Section 20.
Payment of the Grant
If awarded, the repair must be completed within 12 months from the date that the Grant Agreement is signed. The Trust will then pay the approved amount directly to the repair provider (contractor) upon signed receipt of the invoice with the contractor’s W9 form, photo of the finished repair, and approval from the applicant. The Trust will not reimburse homeowners unless specifically approved beforehand. The grant funds may be combined with other funds (including other grants) to complete a project.
Financial Assistance
The grants are offered as unsecured, with minimal repayment clauses for violating the terms (terms include full and accurate information on the application; during the process and post work completion, the premises will remain the applicant's primary residence for at least one year following receipt of grant funds; no selling or renting prior to 12 months post the work completion date). There is no repayment as long as the spirit and terms are complied with in full.
The maximum grant available is $5,000 per grant period and a cap of no more than $10,000 total from the Small Grants Program over the lifetime of the program for a household at a given property address. A one-year wait period, from the date the last payment was issued, is required before an applicant can reapply.
For project quotes exceeding the maximum grant amount available, proof of homeowner funds to pay contractor balance may be required (which can include funds from other grant programs). The homeowner remains responsible for payment for the entirety of a project, including funds beyond this Grant.
Evaluation Criteria
The AHT evaluation committee will prioritize grants based on the extent of health and safety problems, financial need, Veteran or Disabled status, and the amount of the request.