Assistance program · Texas
Homes for Texas Heroes
TSAHC down payment assistance for teachers, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, veterans and health care workers in Texas
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to 5% of the loan
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Grant · Forgivable · Deferred
- Grant you never repay
- First-time buyer?
- Not stated — ask
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Grant you never repay
- Second loan forgiven if you stay in the home
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
What it gives
Up to 5% of the loan
Source text
up to 5% of your loan amount 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
If you’re in a hero profession, this is the home loan program for you. Hero professions include: … Professional educators, which includes the following full-time positions in a public school district: school teachers, teacher aides, school librarians, school counselors, and school nurses … Police officers and public security officers … Firefighters and EMS personnel … Veterans or active military … Correction officers and juvenile corrections officers … Nursing faculty and allied health faculty … You can choose between: … A grant — free money that never has to be repaid, or … A deferred forgivable second lien loan — a loan that is forgiven after three years as long as you don’t sell, refinance, or move out of the home during that time. … A deferred repayable second lien loan – a loan that is repayable upon the sale, transfer, payoff or refinance of the first lien mortgage loan. - First-time buyers only Not stated — ask
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score Not stated — ask
- 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 Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? No
- Spanish materials Yes
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of Texas
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 Texas
The program covers all of Texas. The first column is Texas's figure; the second runs from the lowest to the highest among its counties. Limits change by county: check yours.
The program sets its maximum price in a table. Compare it with the typical home value in Texas: $283,800.
The typical home value ($283,800) fits within Texas'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 Texas is $68,250.
| Figure | Texas | Lowest to highest | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $283,800 | $53,200 (Cochran County) to $523,000 (Travis County) | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $541,287 | $541,287 (Anderson County) to $813,050 (Glasscock County) | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $832,750 | $832,750 in all 254 counties | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $68,250 | $66,950 (Anderson County) to $106,800 (Williamson County) | 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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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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Apply with Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation. 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 6 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Is it only for first-time buyers?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- Is there any case in which the grant has to be paid back?
- After how many years is the loan forgiven, and what happens if I sell or refinance before then?
- When is the second loan repaid: when I sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage?
Against the others
How it compares with Texas's other programs
The 7 programs we checked in Texas, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is one of 2 programs in Texas, out of 7, whose page does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. It is one of 3 out of 7 that publish an amount with the figure in their own wording. One other program in the state also gives "grant" help: Home Sweet Texas Home. It covers the whole state; one program on the list is only for a city or a county.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homes for Texas Heroesthis program | Grant · Forgivable · Deferred | Up to 5% of the loan | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | No | Statewide |
| My First Texas Home | Deferred · Forgivable | Not published | Yes | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| My Choice Texas Home | Deferred · Forgivable | Not published | No | Yes | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)Limited funds remain, per the source | Tax credit | Not published | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Home Sweet Texas Home | Grant · Forgivable · Deferred | Up to 5% of the loan | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | No | Statewide |
| TSAHC Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)Open, per the source | Tax credit | Not published | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP)Out of funds for now, per the source | Forgivable | Offered up to $75,000 | Yes | Yes | No | Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County |
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
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.
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Help and programs
Public charge and housing: what the rules say
Public charge: which housing help DHS may consider, who is exempt, how HUD prorates assistance for mixed-status families and where to get free advice.
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.