California First-Time Buyer Programs

California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) Programs:

CalHFA offers 30‑year fixed first mortgages (FHA, VA, USDA, conventional) with stacking down payment and closing‑cost assistance. Income, sales‑price, and household‑size limits are county‑ and program‑specific—check CalHFA for the latest rules and county tables: CalHFA Homeownership and CalHFA Income & Sales Price Limits.

CalHFA Conventional Loan Program:

Eligibility: Typically first‑time buyers (no ownership in past 3 years) unless otherwise allowed by program. Mandatory homebuyer education for most CalHFA loans.
Offerings: 30‑year fixed conventional first mortgages (HFA‑specific products) at competitive pricing for eligible borrowers.
Common requirements (see lender matrix for full detail):

• Income must be at or below county‑specific CalHFA limits (varies by household size; see CalHFA limits). Examples are illustrative only—verify exact limits for your county and household size.
• Minimum credit score: commonly in the 660–680 range depending on program, income tier, and lender overlays (manufactured‑home rules can differ). See the CalHFA lender matrix for program‑specific thresholds: CalHFA lender matrix.
• Debt‑to‑income (DTI) caps vary by credit score and program (CalHFA matrices show common caps at ~45%–50% depending on credit score and product).
• Homebuyer education required for most CalHFA first‑mortgage borrowers.

MyHome Assistance Program:

Benefits: Deferred‑payment junior loan to help with down payment and/or closing costs. Amounts vary by first‑mortgage pairing: up to 3.5% of purchase price/appraised value with CalHFA government (FHA) first mortgages and up to 3% with CalHFA conventional first mortgages. No monthly payments; repay on sale, refinance or payoff. See CalHFA MyHome for details: CalHFA MyHome.

CalPLUS with ZIP (Zero Interest Program):

Description: CalPLUS first mortgages are offered with mandatory ZIP closing‑cost assistance in many CalPLUS structures. ZIP provides a zero‑interest deferred junior loan for closing costs only—commonly available in 2% or 3% options of the first mortgage amount. ZIP must be structured per CalHFA rules and often stacks with MyHome per program bulletins. See CalHFA CalPLUS and ZIP details: CalPLUS / ZIP.

Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan:

Description: Shared‑appreciation junior loan for down payment/closing costs paired with a CalHFA first mortgage. Assistance is the lesser of 20% of the purchase price or $150,000. At least one borrower must meet the program first‑generation homebuyer definition; repayment includes the original loan plus a share of appreciation on sale or refinance. See CalHFA Dream For All: CalHFA Dream For All.
Status: CalHFA opened voucher/registration windows for 2026 (pre‑registration opened in late February 2026). Demand and lottery/registration timing change rapidly—always check the CalHFA Dream portal before advising clients.

Local Programs (examples and current official links):

City and county programs add deferred, forgivable, or shared‑appreciation assistance. Availability and reservation/lottery timing change often—follow the local pages linked below.

Los Angeles

Low Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA): City of Los Angeles program offering up to $161,000 as a zero‑percent, deferred second with a shared‑appreciation provision for eligible first‑time buyers inside the city. Requirements include a middle FICO minimum (commonly around 660), homebuyer education and a minimum buyer contribution; LAHD posts reservation/lottery dates and the current round schedule. (LAHD LIPA, LAHD program booklet (PDF))

San Diego

SDHC First‑Time Homebuyer Programs (Middle‑Income example): SDHC commonly offers a $40,000 deferred down‑payment assistance loan plus a $10,000 closing‑cost grant for households roughly in the 80–150% AMI band, with published purchase caps by program. Funding status and program guidelines are posted on SDHC’s site. (SDHC First‑Time Homebuyer Programs, SDHC program summary (PDF))

San Francisco

Downpayment Assistance Loan Program (DALP): MOHCD provides DALP loans commonly up to $500,000 (deferred second/shared‑appreciation; lottery/reservation process) with different funding sources and priority buckets. Application cycles and lottery timing vary year to year—check MOHCD for the current round. (SF MOHCD, DALP manual (PDF))

Additional Information:

• Teacher & Employee Assistance: CalHFA and many local programs offer teacher/employee‑specific junior loans—amounts and terms vary. See CalHFA special programs and local housing pages.
• USDA Loans: 0% down in eligible rural areas; program income and location limits apply—verify with USDA and CalHFA lenders. (USDA Rural Development)
• VA Loans: 0% down for eligible veterans/active‑duty borrowers (confirm VA entitlement and lender overlays).
• FHA Loans: Typical FHA down payment is 3.5% for borrowers with credit scores at or above 580; lower tiers may qualify with higher down payments per HUD policy. Check HUD Handbook 4000.1 for underwriting specifics. (HUD Handbook 4000.1)

Programs and funding move quickly. For exact county limits, current fund status, and the correct stacking order, always review the official program pages linked above and work with a CalHFA‑approved lender.

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