Quick answer: Denver-metro homeowners with limited incomes can get free or low-cost grab bars, roll-in showers, ramps and urgent repairs through city and county programs (Denver HOST, Adams County, Aurora, Jefferson County, Longmont) and nonprofits like Brothers Redevelopment and Volunteers of America. Most fund safety work, not walk-in tubs, and most need approval before work starts.
Please read: Funding, income limits and open dates change, sometimes mid-year. Nothing here means you qualify. Confirm with the program itself before you sign a contract or start work, because most programs will not pay for work that began before approval.
What do Denver-area repair and accessibility programs actually pay for?
Mostly the basics that keep a home safe to live in: grab bars, railings, ramps, stairlifts, handheld showers, fixing trip hazards, and urgent repairs such as a failed furnace, water heater or sewer line. Some go further. A City of Denver notice from October 2025 lists installation of roll-in bathtubs or showers including grab bars among the accessibility work its Renter/Homeowner Access Modification Program (RHAMP) can fund. Brothers Redevelopment lists roll-in and step-in shower conversions among its home modifications.
What they rarely pay for is a full walk-in tub. Home Builders Foundation, which does accessibility modifications for people with disabilities across eight metro counties, says plainly on its application page that it does not provide walk-in tubs. If a program will help with a bathroom, it is usually a shower conversion plus grab bars. That is worth knowing early, because it may point you toward a walk-in or roll-in shower instead of a tub.
Which programs might fit me? Try the finder
Pick where you live and answer a few questions. The finder lists the programs that appear to match, with a link and a phone number for each. Your answers stay in your browser.
“80% of area median income” is set by HUD each year by household size. For one person, Adams County’s program page shows $72,950 (FY 2025) and an Aurora program report used $71,900. If you are close, apply or ask; do not rule yourself out.
What changed for Denver residents in 2026?
For years, Denver’s home repair programs were run by the Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA). DURA says that beginning January 1, 2026, the City and County of Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST) administers them: Emergency Home Repair, the Renter/Homeowner Access Modification Program, and Single Family Rehabilitation. DURA is no longer accepting new applications, though it still services projects it already approved. New applicants are directed to HOST at 720-913-1534.
The most recent city notice we found for RHAMP, published October 28, 2025, describes the program as run with Brothers Redevelopment and funded with federal Community Development Block Grant money. Under that notice:
- Renters and homeowners in the City and County of Denver can qualify; renters need a 12-month lease.
- Household income cannot exceed 80% of area median income.
- Someone in the household must have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Grants are designed to go up to $15,000, with a written waiver needed above that.
- Eligible work can include retrofitted bathrooms, roll-in tubs or showers with grab bars, stair lifts, handrails and ramps.
Older DURA pages describe smaller RHAMP grants, so ask HOST for the current cap and application route when you call.
Which programs serve my city or county?
| Where | Program | Key rules | Status / contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | HOST: Emergency Home Repair, RHAMP, Single Family Rehabilitation | RHAMP: renters or owners, ADA disability, income at or below 80% AMI | Moved from DURA to HOST Jan. 1, 2026; 720-913-1534 |
| Brighton, Northglenn, Federal Heights, Bennett, unincorporated Adams | Adams County Minor Home Repair | Owner-occupied, current on taxes, HUD income limits; accessibility is a listed priority; no remodeling | Closed to new applications until Jan. 4, 2027; 720-523-6200 |
| Aurora | Housing rehabilitation (Essential Home Repair) | Owner-occupied, inside city limits, income-qualified; health and safety repairs | First-come until funds run out; auroragov.org |
| Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Golden, Mountain View, Westminster, unincorporated Jefferson | Foothills Regional Housing Emergency Home Repair | Owner on title, primary residence, income below 80% AMI | 2026–27 application packet posted; 303-422-8600 |
| Arvada | City of Arvada repair program | Arvada is not part of the Foothills program | Foothills lists 720-898-7498 for Arvada residents |
| Englewood | Home Repair and Improvement Program | Englewood owners; $1,000 emergency grant or $10,000 zero-percent deferred loan | 303-762-2347 |
| Longmont | Housing Rehabilitation, run with Brothers Redevelopment | Owners inside city limits, income at or below 80% AMI; free grab bars, ramps, stairlifts, water heaters | 303-202-6340 |
Douglas County, Broomfield, most of Arapahoe County and Boulder County outside Longmont did not have a city or county repair program we could confirm on an official page tonight. Residents there should rely on the metro nonprofits below and call their Area Agency on Aging for referrals.
Which nonprofits help older and disabled homeowners across the metro?
Brothers Redevelopment: Home Modification and Repair
Serves elderly and disabled homeowners. Its published modifications include roll-in and step-in shower conversions, grab bars, handheld showers, ramps, wide-tread stairs for walkers, door widening and roll-under sinks, plus interior and exterior repairs. It says it strives to provide services at no cost, subject to funding.
Volunteers of America Colorado: Handyman Program
Minor repairs and safety modifications for limited-income homeowners 60 and older, with a home safety assessment. A December 2025 resource list from Jefferson Center for Mental Health lists grab bars, handheld showers and non-slip tub surfaces among its typical jobs.
Rebuilding Together Metro Denver
Free critical health and safety repairs for low-income homeowners, including older adults, veterans and people with disabilities. Jefferson Center’s December 2025 list describes its Emergency Repair and Safe Home programs for Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties, for homes where someone is elderly, has a disability or is under 18.
Home Builders Foundation
Accessibility home modifications for people with disabilities, reviewed against its criteria and available funds. It does not provide general home repairs, elevators or walk-in tubs.
Cultivate (Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties)
Volunteer programs for older adults, including minor home repairs and grab bar installation, according to the City of Longmont’s 2026 senior resource guide.
Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver: Home Repair
Exterior repairs only, such as roofing and siding, for Denver owners who meet its income limits and can pay a share of costs. Applications were closed when we checked; it keeps an interest list.
What state and federal help applies anywhere in Colorado?
| Program | Who | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Medicaid Home Modification benefit | Members of certain HCBS waivers, through their case manager | Covers things like ramps, bathroom modifications and wider doors. HCPF lists a $14,000 cap; a 2024 change counts it per waiver period for several waivers. |
| VA HISA grant | Veterans with a VA prescription for the change | $6,800 lifetime for service-connected needs or veterans rated 50%+; $2,000 for others. Excludes spa, hot tub and whirlpool-type tubs. |
| VA Specially Adapted Housing grants | Veterans with certain severe service-connected disabilities | Larger grants for adapting a home; apply through VA. |
| Original Medicare | — | Generally does not pay for walk-in tubs or bathroom remodels. |
More detail, including the IRS rules on deducting medically necessary home changes, is on our paying-for-it guide. Aging Safely Baths also has a fuller VA HISA guide.
How do you apply without losing months?
- Call your Area Agency on Aging first. DRCOG’s Aging and Disability Resource Center (303-480-6700) covers Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson and Broomfield; Boulder County’s agency (303-441-1617) covers Boulder County, including Longmont. Ask which repair programs have money right now.
- Gather income papers once. Most programs want proof of income for everyone in the household, proof you own the home, and a current tax and insurance status. Keep copies ready for several applications.
- Apply to more than one. Waiting lists are common, and the Adams County program is closed until January 2027. A city program and a nonprofit can sometimes cover different parts of the job.
- Get a letter about the medical need. A note from a doctor or occupational therapist describing why the bather needs a shower seat, grab bars or a curbless entry helps with Medicaid, the VA and many nonprofits.
- Do not start work early. Wait for written approval. Most programs will not reimburse work that began first, and some, like Medicaid and HISA, approve a specific contractor quote.
What if you do not qualify for any program?
Many households earn a little too much for these programs but still need a safer bathroom. A few practical routes: start with the change that matters most (often grab bars and a handheld shower), compare an itemized walk-in tub quote against a tub-to-shower conversion, and ask a tax professional whether IRS Publication 502 lets you count part of the cost as a medical expense. Our Denver walk-in tub cost guide explains what drives a quote, and Aging Safely Baths lists its current tubs and showers on its Denver walk-in tub and roll-in shower page.
Program questions
Will any Denver program pay for a walk-in tub?
It is uncommon. Most programs fund grab bars, ramps, roll-in or step-in shower conversions and urgent repairs. Home Builders Foundation states it does not provide walk-in tubs. Ask each program what bathroom work it covers.
Who runs Denver’s accessibility modification program now?
DURA says Denver’s housing rehabilitation programs, including RHAMP, have been administered by the city’s Department of Housing Stability since January 1, 2026. Call HOST at 720-913-1534 to apply.
Can renters get help with bathroom accessibility in Denver?
Yes, RHAMP is open to renters as well as owners. The October 2025 city notice says renter households need a 12-month lease, and someone in the home must have an ADA-defined disability.
Is the Adams County Minor Home Repair program open?
Not right now. The county’s page says it is temporarily closed to new applications because of high demand and will reopen January 4, 2027.
I live in Arvada. Can I use the Jefferson County program?
No. Foothills Regional Housing says its Emergency Home Repair program is not open to Arvada residents, and it points them to the City of Arvada’s own program.
Do I need a contractor quote before I apply?
Some programs send their own contractors; others, like VA HISA and the Medicaid home modification benefit, review contractor quotes. Ask each program how it works before you get bids.
Sources
- DURA, Housing Rehabilitation Programs Transition (to Denver HOST, Jan. 1, 2026). renewdenver.org
- City and County of Denver, HOST, Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds: Brothers Redevelopment RHAMP, Oct. 28, 2025. denvergov.org (PDF)
- Denver HOST, Resident Resources. denvergov.org
- Adams County, Minor Home Repair Program. adamscountyco.gov
- City of Aurora, Home Improvement and Housing Rehabilitation Programs. auroragov.org; CBS Colorado, Aurora Essential Home Repair Program, Dec. 2024. cbsnews.com
- Foothills Regional Housing, Emergency Home Repair Program. foothillsrh.org
- Jefferson Center for Mental Health, Home Repair Assistance resource list, updated December 2025 (Englewood, VOA, Rebuilding Together details). jcmh.org (PDF)
- City of Longmont, Housing Rehabilitation Program. longmontcolorado.gov; Senior Resource Guide 2026. longmontcolorado.gov (PDF)
- Brothers Redevelopment, Home Mods & Repairs. brothersredevelopment.org
- Volunteers of America Colorado, Handyman Program. voacolorado.org
- Rebuilding Together Metro Denver. rtcolorado.org
- Home Builders Foundation, Apply for Assistance. hbfdenver.org
- Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, Home Repair Program. habitatmetrodenver.org
- Colorado HCPF, Home Modification Benefit. hcpf.colorado.gov; IM 24-001. hcpf.colorado.gov (PDF)
- VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, HISA. prosthetics.va.gov; VA disability housing grants. va.gov
- DRCOG, Aging and Disability Resource Center. drcog.org; Boulder County Area Agency on Aging. bouldercounty.gov
- IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses. irs.gov
Last reviewed 2026-10-22.