Help to buy in California
Home-buying assistance programs in California
5 official programs for down payment and closing cost help in California, from California Housing Finance Agency and City of Los Angeles Housing Department. We show what each program says on its own page, with the date we checked it.
Key numbers in California
- Verified programs
- 5
- from California Housing Finance Agency and City of Los Angeles Housing Department
- First-time buyers only
- 5
- all require a first-time buyer
- Accept an ITIN
- 0
- per their own site · no: 5 · unconfirmed: 0
- Last checked
- November 5, 2026
- against each program’s official page
How to read the list
Not all help is the same
Amounts, limits and funding change: confirm with a participating lender.
Before you compare amounts, look at the kind of help: it changes what you pay later. These are the kinds the programs on this page use.
On ITIN, each card says what the program itself publishes: yes, no, or not confirmed on its site.
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Deferred
Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
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Shared appreciation
Shared appreciation loan
The full list
Programs in California
Filter by who qualifies, by ITIN or by kind of help. Each card quotes the source and the date we checked it.
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- Deferred
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California
What it gives, per the source
CalHFA Government Loans (FHA): MyHome offers a deferred-payment junior loan of an amount up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value to assist with down payment and/or closing costs. … CalHFA Conventional Loans: MyHome offers a deferred-payment junior loan of an amount up to the lesser of 3% of the purchase price or appraised value to assist with down payment and/or closing costs.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Verified November 5, 2026
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- Shared appreciation
CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation
What it gives, per the source
Closed, per the source
Offers up to 20% for down payment or closing costs, not to exceed $150,000.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Verified November 5, 2026
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- Deferred
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional)
What it gives, per the source
CalPLUS Access FHA is combined with MyAccess for closing costs or down payment assistance
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Verified November 5, 2026
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- Deferred
CalHFA interest-free loan with deferred payments, only for the closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS mortgage (FHA or conventional)
What it gives, per the source
The CalPLUS FHA program is an FHA-insured first mortgage with a slightly higher 30 year fixed interest rate than our standard FHA program and is combined with the CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP) for closing costs.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)
Verified November 5, 2026
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Low Income Purchase Assistance (LIPA) Program
Only in: Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
- Deferred
- Shared appreciation
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
What it gives, per the source
Limited funds remain, per the source
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
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by City of Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD)
Verified November 5, 2026
No program matches your search.
Rent help
Help with rent and utility bills in California
2 programs we checked in California to pay rent, power or gas, or avoid an eviction, with what each page says.
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Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): energy bill help
Run by California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD)
One-time payment from the federal LIHEAP program in California to help with your heating or cooling bill, or if your service is about to be shut off
Limited funds remain, per the source
See details -
Los Angeles County Emergency Rent Relief Program
Run by Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) · Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County program that paid back rent to owners and renters affected by an emergency; its page says it has closed
Help to repair your home
Repair programs in California
3 programs we checked in California to repair your home or make it more efficient, with what each page says.
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Weatherization Assistance Program (DOE WAP)
Run by California Department of Community Services and Development (CSD)
California weatherization program: upgrades that cut energy use in low-income homes, through local agencies
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Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB)
Run by California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP)
California grant to brace and bolt against earthquakes wood-frame homes built before 1980 that sit on a raised foundation
Up to $3,000
See details -
Handyworker Program
Run by Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) · Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
City of Los Angeles program that makes safety and accessibility repairs for low-income homeowners who are older adults or have a disability
Up to $5,000
See details
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is down payment assistance?
Money from a public or nonprofit program for the down payment or closing costs. It can be a grant you never repay, a second loan forgiven if you stay in the home for some years, a second loan repaid when you sell or refinance, or a tax credit (MCC) that lowers your federal taxes.
Do I need to be a first-time buyer in California?
Of the 5 programs on this page, all require it. In general, “first-time buyer” means not having owned a home in the last three years.
Can I use these programs with an ITIN?
What each program’s own site says: accept an ITIN, 0; do not accept one, 5; not confirmed on its site, 0. Ask the participating lender directly before you start, and ask for it in writing.