Chilean Ministry of Housing announces 20,000 repair subsidies

The Chilean Ministry of Housing and Urbanism (Minvu) has announced the second phase of the 'Tarjeta Banco de Materiales 2.0' program. This initiative provides 20,000 subsidies nationwide to assist with low-complexity home repairs through a gift card format for purchasing materials.

Applications will be open from November 9 to December 9, 2026, with results expected in February 2027. Unlike the previous phase, which focused on female heads of household, this version expands eligibility to both male and female heads of household and includes apartments.

Available repair categories and requirements include: • Roof repairs (houses only): Requires 1 UF in savings; provides a 25 UF subsidy. • Bathroom repairs (houses and apartments): Requires 1 UF in savings; provides a 15 UF subsidy. • Floor improvements (houses and apartments): Requires 1 UF in savings; provides a 15 UF subsidy. • Perimeter fencing and security (houses only): Requires 2 UF in savings; provides up to 40 UF.

To qualify, applicants must be at least 18 years old, Chilean or permanent residents, and fall within the 40% to 90% socioeconomic bracket of the Registro Social de Hogares. Applicants must own and inhabit a single property located in an urban area with more than 5,000 inhabitants, which must be at least 10 years old with a fiscal valuation of 2,500 UF or less. The subsidy covers materials only and does not include labor, construction services, or transport.