HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department says its home repair program is temporarily out of money and will not accept additional applications until new federal funding becomes available, expected in late October.
The pause comes as homeowners across the region face rising costs to maintain and insure their homes. For Darrell Marbley, the shortage of repair assistance has left him unable to return to the house where he grew up.
Marbley said he has lived in his home since childhood, but worsening conditions have made it unlivable. The house has no running water or air conditioning, and it also needs major plumbing and roof repairs, he said.
“I’ve been living in this house all my life since I was a little boy,” Marbley said.
Marbley’s housing troubles intensified around the same time he underwent surgery for a large brain tumor in January 2025. Since then, he has lived with his aunt Willie, while they try to find a way to repair the property.
“I couldn’t do anything without her,” Marbley said. “She’s my angel.”
Marbley and Willie said the needed repairs are extensive and beyond what they can afford on their own. Marbley turned to Houston’s home repair program for help. The problem is that the program, which uses federal government grants to help low-income residents like Marbley with home repairs, currently has no money.
“It’s just a lot of repair work that needs to be redone, and we don’t have the financial means at the present to get it done,” Willie said.
The department said it received slightly more than $2 million in federal grants for the program last October. After setting aside 15% for administrative costs, about $1.7 million remained for repair work.
That funding helped eight homeowners, the department said. Officials said the projects often go beyond minor fixes and can involve substantial repair work, limiting how many households the available money can serve.
The department expects to receive about $1.9 million in additional federal funding in late October. It estimates the new allocation could help another seven or eight homeowners. Officials said 16 people are currently in the pipeline for assistance.
Marbley said he also can’t afford homeowners insurance, which has increased drastically over the years. According to the Texas Department of Insurance , the average annual homeowners insurance premium was $3,500 in 2025. That number jumps to more than $4,100 for Harris County residents.
For context, the average premium in Harris County in 2019 was $2,400.
Houston Housing and Community Development officials said they plan to contact Marbley directly to offer assistance and guidance as he works to address the condition of his home.
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