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Help & programs · Step by step
Down payment programs, housing counselors, housing authorities, legal aid and what to do in an emergency. What exists, who qualifies and who to call, without paying middlemen.
With your county, the calculators and the steps use your numbers.
Guides verified against official sources · last verified: October 31, 2026 · 260 official sources
Your number
Many assistance programs decide who qualifies with the income limits HUD publishes for each county and household size. See your county’s.
Your county
Limits change by county. Your choice is saved in this browser.
Or try a county:
What you type stays in this browser; it is not sent anywhere.
Example
Los Angeles, CA, household of 1 person
HUD area: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
A household of 1 person in Los Angeles County earning up to $93,300 a year is within HUD’s low-income limit (80% of area median income), the one many programs use.
Source (FY2026): Income Limits (HUD)
See which programs you might qualify forPrograms by stateHUD housing counselors
Each program applies its own tables and rules; confirm with the program or a HUD-approved counselor.
How we calculate it: the tables HUD publishes for each county and household size. Starting values: Income Limits (fiscal year 2026).
See the full methodStep by step
Housing help exists, but it is spread across state programs, HUD agencies, housing authorities and legal offices, each with its own door. The steps below take you from working out what you need to knocking on the right door, without paying middlemen.
Money for the down payment, a rent you cannot cover, missed payments, an urgent repair or a legal problem. Each has its own front door.
Key tool: Which programs might I qualify for?
HUD-approved counselors give independent advice on buying, renting, missed payments and credit, often free or at low cost. It is the best first step.
Key guide: HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
Every state has a housing finance agency with its own programs, and many counties and cities add their own. See your state’s here, each with its official link.
Key guide: Down payment assistance: how it works
Area income limits, first-time buyer status, a homebuyer course, loan type. The limits change every year and depend on the county.
Key tool: Which programs might I qualify for?
Many down payment programs are requested through a participating lender, not directly. Gather your papers before you talk to one.
Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and waiting lists: how they work and where your local housing authority is. Waiting lists can be long, so it pays to sign up as soon as you qualify.
Key guide: Rental help and public charge: what the rules say
For evictions, discrimination, abusive contracts or scams. Legal aid offices serve those who qualify for free; for immigration, only attorneys or accredited representatives.
Key guide: Free legal aid: who qualifies and where to find it
An eviction notice, missed mortgage payments, a natural disaster or losing your home: who to call today and which papers to keep. In an emergency the clock is running, and the first day counts more than any other.
Key tool: Eviction timelines by state
Ordered by population, from the Census. Each state has its list of official programs, with what each one says and the date we checked it.
Help that costs nothing
HUD-approved counseling agencies help for free or at low cost, many in Spanish, and state programs help with the down payment. No one should charge you to “get” you government help.
Common mistakes and scams
Wherever there is government help, someone charges to “get it for you”. Here are the mistakes and scams that cost the most, with what the official source says beside them.
What they tell you Scam
The trap: paying someone to “get you” government help
The reality
Information about public programs, and the application itself, are not for sale. A HUD-approved counselor guides you for free or at low cost and tells you what is real.
Source: CFPB, “Find a Housing Counselor”
What they tell you Scam
The trap: signing papers so someone can “save” your home
The reality
Before signing a power of attorney, a deed or a contract with anyone who promises to save your home, show it to a free legal aid office or a HUD-approved counselor.
What it means: legal aidSource: CFPB, “How to spot and avoid foreclosure relief scams”
What they tell you Myth
The mistake: choosing a lender before looking for assistance
The reality
Many programs only work with participating lenders and with a certain loan type. Ask about assistance before committing to anyone.
Read the guide: Down payment assistance: how it worksSource: CFPB, “Where can I find information on programs for first-time home buyers?”
What they tell you Myth
The mistake: hiding the letters when you fall behind
The reality
The sooner you talk to your loan servicer and to a HUD-approved counselor, the more options there are. Keep every letter and write down every call.
Source: CFPB, “Find a Housing Counselor”
Housing and money guides, with official sources
The most complete guides on assistance programs, counselors and legal aid. Each one says which sources we verified and when; start with the one that answers today’s urgency.
Help and programs 11 minute read
See all 13 guides on Help and programs See all 15 guides on Money problems
Help & programs
What we are asked most about assistance, in brief. Every program publishes its own rules; when the answer depends on the program, we send you to its page.
Often not, or very little. HUD-approved counselors give independent advice on buying, renting, missed payments and credit, and they do not sell loans.
See the free helpEach program sets its own requirements and the loan type it works with. Check each program’s page for your state: it lists what it asks for, with its official source.
Find my countyOn your state’s page, under the programs tab: each one with what it gives, who qualifies and the official link. Search for your county and we take you there.
Find my countyDo not ignore it: deadlines are short and change by state. Look for free legal help the same day and keep every paper you receive.
See the free help
See the free help
These are the official doors: HUD’s counselor directory, legal aid offices, public housing authorities and VITA sites. They are directories of public or publicly funded agencies; the information and the application for a program are never for sale.
This site explains and links what official sources publish; it does not give individual advice. For your case, these organizations help for free or at low cost:
HUD-approved housing counselors give independent advice, free or at low cost. Find your county and we show you the nearby agencies with the languages they serve, or go straight to HUD’s directory.
Five questions, none personal. You get the steps in order, with the guides and calculators that fit you.
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