California Home Buying Programs May 2026

Up to 20% of the home’s purchase price (capped at $150,000) for a down payment or closing costs.

You don't pay interest monthly. Instead, when you sell or refinance, you repay the original loan amount plus 15% to 20% of the home’s appreciation (the increase in value). california home buying programs

The most talked-about program is the . It fundamentally changes how buyers enter the market by acting as a silent partner rather than a traditional lender. Up to 20% of the home’s purchase price

Because it is so popular—likened by some to "buying Taylor Swift tickets"—applicants are now chosen via a randomized drawing rather than first-come, first-served. The most talked-about program is the

The landscape of California home buying programs is currently defined by the state’s massive effort to bridge the affordability gap through innovative, albeit competitive, financial assistance. The "proper story" today is less about standard mortgages and more about and targeted Down Payment Assistance (DPA) . The Flagship: California Dream For All

To target those most in need, at least one borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer (neither they nor their parents have owned a home in the last 7 years). Core CalHFA Assistance Programs Steps to Buying a Home | CA Housing Finance Agency - CalHFA