Home Ownership, Repair, Maintenance & Improvement

A well-informed homebuyer can become a successful homeowner. The City of Thornton collaborates with non-profit organizations to provide free homeownership workshops in Thornton throughout the year. For course details and registration information, contact the organizations listed below or click on the "CHFA Homebuyer Education" or "Colorado Housing Connects" links below.

Home finance and down payment assistance programs offer a variety of solutions for buyers purchasing homes in Thornton. All programs require participants to attend a free homebuyer workshop (see below) and may require working with a qualified lender. The organizations shown below have experienced staff and lending partners ready to help:

Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA): CHFA offers a variety of loan products and options for low- and moderate-income homebuyers, including mortgages and down payments, and closing cost assistance. CHFA also provides a Mortgage Credit Certificate program, which allows qualified borrowers to deduct 20% of mortgage interest as a direct tax credit against federal income tax liability. The remaining 80% of mortgage interest is still a deduction. CHFA also provides mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling for those who are concerned about foreclosure.  Click on the "CHFA" link above or call 303- 297-7376 for more information.

CHFA Homebuyer Education

Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation (CRHDC): CRHDC offers different mortgage products to finance a home that can assist very low-income buyers to moderate-income buyers. Their down payment or closing costs assistance loan can assist with $3,000 - $10,000. For more information click on the "CRHDC" link above or call 303-428-1448.

Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation (CHAC): CHAC offers down payment and closing cost assistance loans up to $5,000 for low- and moderate-income households. Applicants either must be first-time homebuyers or not have owned a home in the last three years.  Click on the "CHAC" link on the right side of this page or call 303- 572-9445 for more information.

metroDPA: This program provides down payment assistance through a no-interest second loan that is forgivable after 36 months.  The metroDPA program is available to households that earn less than $139,200 a year, qualify for a mortgage, have a minimum FICO score of 640, and a maximum debt-to-income ratio of 45.  Homebuyers must complete a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-approved homebuyer education workshop and must work with a qualified lender. To learn more about the program click on the "metroDPA program" link above.

Financing for People with Disabilities: People with permanent disabilities or parents of a child with a permanent disability may qualify for special financing offered by CHAC and CHFA.

Additional Resources

• Colorado Housing Connects

Public Service Announcements: View helpful information to avoid foreclosure and foreclosure scams from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Adams County Public Trustee: The Adams County Public Trustee's Office processes foreclosures in Adams County. The website provides information regarding individual foreclosure cases, foreclosure auctions, as well as the policy for HOA lien redemptions and cures. The Adams County Public Trustee office can also help with purchasing a foreclosed home. If you are interested in learning more about the purchase of a foreclosed home, please visit the Adams County website.

The program operated by the city provides free, external minor home rehabilitation to qualified applicants to mitigate or cure external code violations up to $7,500. Eligible projects include:

• Fence repair or replacement
• Hazardous tree removal
• Minor restorative front yard WaterWise landscaping
• Trash and debris removal, including large items such as furniture and appliances.

If secondary to the primary task(s), a one-time vegetation trimming and mowing may be completed.

CodeCAP is NOT a yard maintenance program and does not provide lawn mowing or weed removal. The program is also NOT an emergency assistance or home repair reimbursement program.

CodeCAP flyer [PDF/2.7MB]

The Help for Homes Program offers eligible Thornton homeowners the opportunity to receive up to $10,000 in free home repairs to improve the health, safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency of their homes. Eligible projects include improvements or replacements for :

• Accessibility (chair lifts, grab bars, indoor/outdoor rails, stairs, walk-in shower replacements, etc.)
• Electrical
• Water & sewer lines
• Furnace
• Lead testing and remediation
• Other safety repairs 
• Plumbing
• Radon testing and remediation
• Roof replacements
• Water heaters

Currently, H4H has a waiting list of over 30 homes.  Therefore, it is closed to new applications as of January 1, 2026.  As funding becomes available, we will update this website. Please check back periodically for updates.  The city also anticipates additional funding after August 2026.

Not all projects are eligible and funding is limited.  The program is NOT an emergency assistance or home repair reimbursement program.  Until the waitlist is cleared, projects may take four to six months or longer to complete.

Operated by our partners, Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. since 1978, this program assists Thornton seniors (60+) and/or Thornton residents with a disability, by painting the exterior of their homes. The home must be owner-occupied, single-family home less than 20-feet-tall. The owner(s) must not be able to afford to hire a painting contractor.

Homes with brick or siding may have areas like trim, gutters, downspouts, facia, gables, and exterior doors painted. Additional qualifications apply and will be reviewed by Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. For more information about the eligibility requirements or to apply, click on the application, call 720-335-9422 or email ngray@brothersredevelopment.org .

To qualify for a free home exterior paint job:

• You are 60 years of age or older and/or have a disability
• The paint project be finished by a group of volunteers in one day
• You will be present on the day of painting
• You plan to live in your home for at least two years
• Your application is approved by the city (income, residency, environmental review)

Visit this page for the English application! 

Visit this page for the Spanish application!

For other home repair programs and resources, visit Housing and scroll down to the Housing Resources, Home Modification & Repair Programs section. 

GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit organization that brings the benefits of solar technology to communities that otherwise would not have access. Through Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) awarded by the City of Thornton, GRID Alternatives is providing no-cost solar systems + installation to income-qualifying homeowners in these communities. Qualifying homeowners will own these systems in full at no cost and can expect to save between 50-90 percent on their annual electric bill. In order to qualify for the free solar program, applicants must own their home, earn 80 percent or less of the area median income based on household size, and have a qualifying roof (limited shading, good quality, etc.). This is a first-come, first-served program, and funds are limited! To learn more, call Outreach Coordinators Mikkela Blanton (303-968-1634) or Chelsea Gaines (720-943-5162) directly, fill out a pre-screening application on our website, or email outreachco@gridalternatives.org to learn more.

GRID Solar Program

Home Energy Squad can help you begin your journey towards having a lower energy bill along with a more comfortable and energy-efficient home. Residents who get their electricity from Xcel Energy can receive a Home Energy Squad visit for $50. Participants will receive $200 worth of energy-saving help such as thermostat adjustments, installation of faucet aerators and efficient lighting, and recommendations for other energy-saving projects. Thornton residents can receive a discounted visit in 2026 by using code THORNTON2026 when scheduling. 

A standard visit includes:

• Switching out traditional, inefficient lighting for more efficient LED bulbs
• Replacing showerheads with energy-efficient models
• Weather-stripping drafty exterior doors
• Installing a programmable thermostat
• Adding aerators to kitchen and bathroom faucets

If you're looking for more you can sign up for a Home Energy Squad Plus visit to receive all the benefits of the Home Energy Squad listed above along with the bonus of a professional home energy audit.  For $100  you can receive services valued at $600! Additional services of the Home Energy Squad Plus visit include:

• A thorough inspection of the home's exterior, insulation, and mechanical systems
• Air leak analysis with a blower door diagnostic test
• Infrared imaging and analysis
• Full summary report with findings and recommendations

Visit Xcel's website or call 303-446-7910 to schedule your appointment.

This program helps low-income individuals and families pay their water bills. Thornton Water customers and residents living in apartment complexes, manufactured home parks, condominiums, and townhomes that receive water through the city of Thornton can apply for the program once per calendar year. Those who meet the program qualifications will receive a credit on their water account. For more information, contact Community Connections at 720-977-5815.

• The 2022 credit for those with a Thornton Water account is $360.
• The 2022 credit for those living in a master meter community is $80.

Thornton Water Rebates

The Home Energy Savings Guide by Recharge Colorado offers tips on ways to save energy in your home, including a do-it-yourself energy audit.

Home Energy Savings Guide

Xcel Energy offers rebates to homeowners who have purchased and installed new energy-efficient improvements in their homes.

Xcel Energy Rebates

This program allows homeowners to borrow up to $25,000 for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to their homes. Participating Colorado lenders include the Bank of Colorado at 970-663-2999 and the Credit Union of Colorado at 303-832-4816.

Tax credits for some energy efficiency improvements may be available for your federal income tax returns, including geothermal, solar, and wind energy systems. Call Energy Star at 1-888-782-7937 for information.

Federal Tax Credits

The Colorado Energy Office provides a financial incentive to those who purchase an existing home (versus newly built) and makes energy-efficient or renewable energy upgrades within 120 days of purchase. Contact them at 303-866-2100.

This program provides free services to eligible low-income Adams County residents. Includes energy audits, furnace and water heater repairs, insulation, and more financial assistance with paying utility bills. Call 303-636-1982.

Weatherization Assistance