South MS residents clamor for limited number of home repair grants. What’s next?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Gulfport offered federal home repair grants up to $25,000 to qualified residents.
- The city accepted only the first 50 applications because of limited funds and resources.
- A HUD action plan and substantial amendment cleared the way for the program.
Slots filled in minutes for federal home repair grants of up to $25,000 that the city of Gulfport is offering qualified residents.
Residents were able to file pre-applications Monday morning through an online portal, but the city accepted only the first 50 applications because only $780,000 in funding is currently available for home repair and rental rehabilitation. Many senior citizens hoping to secure funding for home repairs walked away disappointed, including Nancy Evans, who has waited years for the program to open up.
“I’m just going to keep praying and talking to people to get some help,” Evans said after the online portal to apply had closed. Evans lined up a friend to help her with the application, but they weren’t fast enough. The portal closed after only six minutes.
Community advocate and volunteer Christine Brice tried to help senior citizens who wanted to apply, but only a few of the 60 on her list got their applications accepted. Brice was at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, where computers were set up so that residents could apply.
“There were some angry people at Shiloh Baptist Church this morning,” Brice said. “I’m just trying to do the Lord’s will, and that’s to help someone.”
HUD funds home repairs
Gulfport is using community development funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the home repair grants for the first time in about 10 years. For several years, the city has not had the staff to manage the grants.
Nicole Stehlar came aboard in November 2024 as the city’s HUD grants administrator and has been working to make CDBG funds available. HUD appropriates funding for programs in low-income areas, but the money is reimbursed, not paid up front.
Stehlar spent months working on a HUD action plan and substantial amendment to reprogram federal funds for the home repair program and other uses. She submitted the paperwork in August 2025. The city’s plans were approved only a couple of weeks ago, she said.
The city will screen the home repair applications it has currently received and notify those who qualify to continue the application process.
Stehlar said future opportunities to apply to the home repair program will open as funding becomes available. “Now that we have a program,” she said, “we can fund it on an annual basis.”
