Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Programs:
Updated July 30, 2026The Georgia Dream Homeownership Program provides affordable 30-year fixed-rate mortgages paired with down payment assistance through participating lenders. Income and purchase-price limits vary by county and product; homebuyer education is required. Verify county limits, current product details, and participating lenders at DCA Georgia Dream.
Georgia Dream Homeownership Program:
Eligibility: First-time homebuyers (no primary residence in the past 3 years), waived when purchasing in DCA targeted areas or for certain veteran tracks; income and purchase-price limits are location- and product-specific. See DCA for county matrices and targeted-area maps.
Offerings: 30-year fixed mortgage options (FHA, VA, USDA-RD, or Conventional) paired with product-dependent down payment assistance.
Requirements:
- Income must be at or below area-specific limits (check DCA county matrix for exact household-size thresholds). DCA county matrices & lender downloads.
- Minimum middle credit score: typically 640 for AUS/automated underwriting findings; manual underwriting is permitted only per FHA/VA/USDA rules and DCA Seller Guide exceptions. See DCA Lender FAQs and the Seller Guide for details. DCA Lender FAQs.
- Debt-to-income (DTI): commonly evaluated around ≤45% per AUS/product; some lenders or products may allow higher ratios with strong compensating factors—confirm with your participating lender and the Seller Guide.
- Homebuyer education: HUD-approved counseling or an approved pre-purchase course is required prior to closing for most tracks.
- Liquid assets: DCA commonly limits liquid assets to the greater of $20,000 or 20% of the sales price immediately after closing (retirement accounts typically excluded). Confirm exact treatment with the lender and DCA materials. DCA fact sheets.
Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Options:
How DPA varies: DCA runs multiple Georgia Dream product tracks; DPA amounts and structure depend on the product and may differ across counties.
- Peach Plus (official): Standard DPA is 3.5% of the purchase price or up to $10,000 (whichever is less). PEN/CHOICE DPA tracks are 4% or up to $12,500 (whichever is less). Always confirm the product used in your county. DCA Peach Plus FAQ.
- Other Georgia Dream tracks: DPA structure can vary by product (check the current Seller Guide and county matrix for the active product in your county). DCA Lenders - Documents & Downloads.
- Borrower contribution: Most DCA products require a modest minimum borrower contribution (commonly $500–$1,000) or documented acceptable gift funds; verify gift-fund rules with the lender.
Local Programs (Examples):
Many cities and counties layer local assistance (forgivable or deferred seconds). Funding, maximum awards, and eligibility change locally—confirm program packets on the local pages below before advising clients.
Fulton County (Atlanta Area)
Fulton County Homeownership Program (HOP): Provides a deferred 0% second mortgage for down payment/closing/interest buydown of up to 7.5% of the sales price, not to exceed $22,500, with separate purchase-price caps and income limits by household size. See the HOP program page and PDF for the current limits and lender list. Fulton HOP.
Savannah / Chatham County
DreamMaker Home Purchase Assistance (City of Savannah): Offers down payment/closing-cost assistance in two main tracks. For city partnership-built projects assistance may reach up to $50,000 (deferred/low-interest); the more common DreamMaker loan track provides up to $30,000 (deferred or low-interest). Check the city packet for eligibility and terms. Savannah DreamMaker.
Augusta-Richmond County
Augusta HCD assistance: The City/County Housing & Community Development Department offers deferred-payment and low-interest down payment assistance funded by federal HOME and related grants. Amounts are modest and change with each funding round; recent examples in program materials show awards in the low-thousands. See Augusta HCD for current offerings. Augusta Downpayment Assistance (manual).
Additional Information:
- Purchase price limits (examples): DCA county matrices list exact maximum sales-price allowances by product and county; Peach Plus increased allowable purchase prices in higher-cost MSAs. Always check the DCA county limits for the property county. DCA county limits and Seller Guide.
- USDA Loans: 0% down is available in eligible rural areas via USDA Rural Development; verify property eligibility and income limits at rd.usda.gov.
- VA Loans: VA-backed loans commonly permit no down payment for eligible veterans and active-duty borrowers; confirm eligibility at VA home loans.
- FHA Loans: FHA typical minimum down payment is 3.5% for credit scores 580+ (higher down payment for lower scores). See HUD/FHA for current underwriting rules. hud.gov/fha.
Georgia programs change by product and county—always confirm the county matrix, seller guide, and local program packet with a participating lender or the DCA site before advising buyers.
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