Down Payment Assistance Program

In partnership with Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, the Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program provides a grant for $20,000 for CHA residents/participants and $10,000 for non-CHA applicants.

You can either be currently participating in a CHA program or simply be an IL resident (living in or moving to Chicago) that meets the income limits. Following are a few details about the program. CHA down payment assistance funds may be used for a down payment, to lower loan amount or to cover closing costs. CHA funds may be layered with other sources of down payment assistance. (Cash back at closing is not allowed.)

Program Requirements for First-Time Homebuyers in Chicago

• You must be a first-time homebuyer, meaning you haven't owned a home in the last three years.
• Layered grants and other credit including seller’s credit and gift funds cannot exceed 20% of the purchase price for non-CHA residents.
• All expenses debt to income ratio cannot exceed 45%.
• The purchased property must be within the City of Chicago.
• Must be homebuyer’s primary residence; it can't be used solely as an investment property.
• The types of homes eligible for the program include single-family houses, townhomes, condominiums, and 2–4-unit buildings, including new construction.
• If purchasing a 2–4-unit property, attend a Landlord Training that includes information on the Cook County Landlords Ordinance.
• This is a federally funded program open only to U.S. citizens.
• Homebuyers must sign an owner-occupancy agreement.

Income

CHA Purchase Assistance Grants are available to CHA public housing residents and Housing Choice Voucher holders with the combined annual gross household income below 120% Area Median Income (AMI) for the Chicago Metropolitan Area as determined by HUD.

If applicants are not currently participating in a CHA program, they may still apply for purchase assistance. The combined annual gross household income should not exceed 80% of the current (AMI) for the Chicago Metropolitan Area as determined by HUD.

Homebuyer's Education Course

• To participate, all individuals listed on the loan must complete an eight-hour Homebuyer Education (HBE) class from a HUD-approved provider.

Mortgage Pre-approval

• To apply for the DPA grant, you must have a valid preapproval from one of our approved lenders.

Approved Lenders

• Associated Bank
• Bank of America
• BMO
• Chase Bank
• CIBC
• Citibank
• Guaranteed Rate
• Guaranteed Rate Affinity
• Huntington Bank
• Loan Depot
• Marquette Bank
• NACA
• Neighborhood Lending Services
• Old National
• PNC Bank
• Self-Help Federal Credit Union
• US Bank
• Wells Fargo Bank
• Wintrust Mortgage

Purchase Agreement

• You must provide proof that you have executed a purchase agreement for the home you intend to buy.

Savings Requirement

• As part of the program, you are required to contribute at least $3,000 to your purchase transaction. For applicants receiving Social Security income benefits, the required amount is $2,000.
  • Proof of paid earnest money, appraisal, and/or home inspection are considered contributions.

     Not Required for VA loans. 

Terms and Conditions

CHA and/or Program Funders reserves the right to request additional information, and documentation; to conduct additional review of the applicant and property; and to approve or deny any application. CHA reserves the right to update and change program requirements without notice. Please note all applicants are required to have a Social Security number and be a U.S. Citizen.

DPA Orientation Sessions

If you are interested in learning more about the DPA program or want to see if you qualify, please register for a virtual orientation session below. Attending a DPA orientation session is required to apply for the grant.

Upcoming Orientations

All virtual orientations are from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM every Tuesday.

When you successfully register, you will receive a confirmation email with meeting details. You will need to download Zoom before joining a Zoom meeting on a computer or mobile device. Otherwise, you will be prompted to download and install Zoom when you click a join link.