Assistance program · California
Limited funds remain, per the source
Low Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA) Program
City of Los Angeles loan with no interest and no monthly payments for the down payment, closing costs and purchase of low-income first-time buyers; when you sell, you repay it with a share of the appreciation
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to $161,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Deferred · Shared appreciation
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- Minimum credit score
- 660
- The minimum the source asks for; a lender may ask for more.
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
- Shared appreciation loan
Only in: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
What it gives
Up to $161,000
Source text
Up to $161,000 for down payment, closing costs, and acquisition. … Zero Percent (0%) Interest … Deferred, requiring no monthly payments … Loans have a Shared Appreciation provision in which the City will share a certain percentage of the appreciation in the value of the property. … Loan and Shared Appreciation is due on sale, title transfer, first mortgage repayment, or in 30 years as balloon payment A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
First-time homebuyers who have not had an ownership interest in any real property at any time during the last three years. U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, or other qualified aliens. Homebuyers must have a middle FICO credit score of at least 660. Applicants must attend an 8-hour, Homebuyer Education Class and receive housing counseling given by one of LAHD’s approved providers. Applicants must contribute a minimum of 1% of the home price as down payment. … Properties must be located in the City of Los Angeles … Maximum Purchase Price Limit: $956,465 … Due to limited resources, LAHD has implemented a modified loan reservation process. - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score 660
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit $956,465
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Citizenship or qualified-alien status, per the source
- Accepts ITIN? No
- Spanish materials Yes
- Program status Limited funds remain, per the source
- Where it applies Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
What its page says about being open
Total Funds Available: $552,766 … Due to limited resources, LAHD has implemented a modified loan reservation process. Below is the loan reservation schedule, including the number of loan reservations per round. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026. housing.lacity.gov
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in Los Angeles
These are the official figures for the area the program covers. Use them to compare the price of the home you want and your household income with the program's limits.
The program's maximum price, $956,465, is 15% above the typical home value in Los Angeles ($834,200).
The typical home value ($834,200) fits within Los Angeles's FHA limit ($1,249,125).
The program uses 80% of area median income (AMI). HUD publishes a median family income of $108,100 for Los Angeles.
| Figure | Los Angeles County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $834,200 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $1,249,125 | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $1,249,125 | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $133,250 | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask how much is left
Its page says limited funds remain. Ask whether it still takes applications and how long an answer takes.
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Confirm you count as a first-time buyer
The program requires it. Read on its page how it defines "first-time buyer" and whether there are exceptions.
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Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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The home cannot cost more than $956,465
That is the maximum price the program publishes. Compare it with your area's typical home value in the table above.
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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. California has 81 agencies on HUD's list, and 57 serve people in Spanish.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 660
That is the program's minimum; the lender may ask for more. If you are short, a housing counselor can explain how to raise it.
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Apply with City of Los Angeles Housing Department. Its page explains whether you apply directly or through a participating lender.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves one point unclear. Write it down for when you talk to City of Los Angeles Housing Department.
What its page does not say
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- When is the second loan repaid: when I sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage?
- What share of the gain would I have to give back when I sell?
Against the others
How it compares with California's other programs
The 5 programs we checked in California, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 5 programs in California, out of 5, that require being a first-time buyer. It is one of 3 out of 5 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. 3 more programs in the state give "deferred" help: MyHome Assistance Program, MyAccess Program and CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP). It is the only local program on the list; the others cover the whole state. 4 of the 5 require a homebuyer course, this one included.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA) Programthis programLimited funds remain, per the source | Deferred · Shared appreciation | Up to $161,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Los Angeles, Los Angeles County |
| MyHome Assistance Program | Deferred | Up to 3.5% of the price | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
| California Dream For All Shared Appreciation LoanClosed, per the source | Shared appreciation | Offered up to 20% of the price, capped at $150,000 | Yes | Doesn't say | No | Statewide |
| MyAccess Program | Deferred | Not published | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
| CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP) | Deferred | Not published | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Help and programs
Homebuyer education courses: when you need one
What a homebuyer education course is, when Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and assistance programs require one, and where to take it for free or in Spanish.
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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.