Assistance program · Louisiana
HomeStart Assist
Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage for first-time buyers with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 4% of the loan
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Forgivable
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- 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 forgiven if you stay in the home
What it gives
Up to 4% of the loan
Source text
Provides a 30-year fixed mortgage along with 4% assistance based on the original principal amount of the first mortgage … Assistance is through a 0% interest, forgivable second mortgage that is fully forgiven after 60 months 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
Designed for first-time homebuyers. … Eligible household income may be up to 115% of the area median income (AMI) in non-targeted areas … or up to 140% of AMI in targeted areas, depending on household size and location. … A minimum credit score of 640 … The completion of an approved homebuyer education course by at least one occupying borrower. - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Yes
- Minimum credit score 640
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Legal residence in the U.S., per the source
- Accepts ITIN? No
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Louisiana
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in Louisiana
The program covers all of Louisiana. The first column is Louisiana's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its parishes. Limits change by parish: check yours.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in Louisiana: $216,500.
The typical home value ($216,500) fits within Louisiana's FHA limit ($541,287).
The program sets its income limit in its own table. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in Louisiana is $62,800.
| Figure | Louisiana | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $216,500 | $77,300 (St. Helena Parish) to $315,700 (Orleans Parish) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 in all 64 parishes | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 64 parishes | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $62,800 | $54,150 (Allen Parish) to $83,350 (St. Tammany Parish) | 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 first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
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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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Check your county's maximum price
The program sets a maximum price per county in its table.
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Take the homebuyer course
The program requires it. HUD-approved housing counseling agencies teach courses. Louisiana has 26 agencies on HUD's list, and 5 serve people in Spanish.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 640
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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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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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 3 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Louisiana Housing Corporation.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- After how many years is the loan forgiven, and what happens if I sell or refinance before then?
Against the others
How it compares with Louisiana's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in Louisiana, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is the only one of Louisiana's 2 programs that requires being a first-time buyer. It is one of 2 out of 2 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. One other program in the state also gives "forgivable" help: HomeStart Advantage. 2 of the 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HomeStart Assistthis program | Forgivable | Up to 4% of the loan | Yes | Yes | No | Statewide |
| HomeStart Advantage | Forgivable | Up to 4% of the loan | No | 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.