Some Torrance homeowners may qualify for something unusually valuable:

Free home repairs.

The City’s Home Improvement Program, or HIP, provides home repairs and accessibility improvements at no charge to qualified Torrance homeowners who are seniors or people with disabilities.

Eligible services can include:

• Wheelchair ramps
• Staircase handrails
• Grab bars
• Repairing leaky faucets
• Replacing faucets and showerheads
• Certain water-heater work
• Broken window and screen repairs
• Lock repairs
• Rodent proofing
• Minor HVAC repairs
• Trash removal.

To qualify, an applicant generally must be an owner-occupant of a single-family Torrance residence, be age 50 or older and/or have a disability, and meet HUD-based household income requirements.

For fiscal year 2026–27, the listed income limit is $58,300 for a one-person household, rising according to household size—for example, $83,300 for four people.

The program does have limits. It does not provide services such as full fence replacement, landscaping, major roof repairs, complete HVAC replacement, painting or major concrete work.

Requests are generally handled in the order received, with priority given to disability modifications and safety or security issues.

For an older resident trying to remain safely at home, however, even a seemingly small repair—adding a grab bar, fixing a lock or repairing a broken window—can make an enormous difference.

And this is one City program many eligible homeowners may simply not know exists.

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