Help to buy in Texas
Home-buying assistance programs in Texas
7 official programs for down payment and closing cost help in Texas, from Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation and City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department. We show what each program says on its own page, with the date we checked it.
Key numbers in Texas
- Verified programs
- 7
- from Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation and City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department
- First-time buyers only
- 4
- 3 do not require it or their pages do not say
- Accept an ITIN
- 0
- per their own site · no: 3 · unconfirmed: 4
- 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.
The full list
Programs in Texas
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
- Forgivable
Texas state program for first-time buyers: a 30-year mortgage with down payment assistance
What it gives, per the source
My First Texas Home offers down payment assistance and 30- year, low-interest mortgage rates for First Time Homebuyers.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
- Deferred
- Forgivable
Texas state program with down payment assistance for any buyer, not only first-time buyers
What it gives, per the source
My Choice Texas Home offers down payment assistance and 30- year, low-interest mortgage rates for everyone.
- First-time buyer?
- No first-time requirement
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
- Tax credit
Texas state certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal tax return
What it gives, per the source
Limited funds remain, per the source
This certificate entitles you to a dollar-for-dollar reduction on your federal tax liability.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
- Grant
- Forgivable
- Deferred
TSAHC down payment assistance for teachers, police officers, firefighters, paramedics, veterans and health care workers in Texas
What it gives, per the source
up to 5% of your loan amount
- First-time buyer?
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
- Grant
- Forgivable
- Deferred
TSAHC down payment assistance for buyers in any line of work in Texas
What it gives, per the source
up to 5% of your loan amount
- First-time buyer?
- The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
- Tax credit
TSAHC certificate that gives you back 15% of the interest you pay on your mortgage as a credit on your federal tax return; today it is offered only together with TSAHC programs
What it gives, per the source
Open, per the source
An MCC reduces your federal income taxes every year by allowing you to get 15% of what you spent on mortgage interest back as a tax credit. … Home buyers that qualify for TSAHC’s Homes for Texas Heroes program will receive their MCC for FREE. … TSAHC’s stand-alone MCC program has been discontinued indefinitely. MCC’s may still be obtained in combination with TSAHC’s DPA program, as funds are available.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- Its site does not confirm
Run by Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC)
Verified November 5, 2026
-
Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP)
Only in: Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County
- Forgivable
City of Houston interest-free forgivable loan of up to $75,000 for the down payment, closing costs or to buy down the mortgage of first-time buyers with income up to 80% of the median; forgiven if you live in the home eight years
What it gives, per the source
Out of funds for now, per the source
The City of Houston offers up to $75,000 to income-qualified residents. … Our assistance is a no-interest, forgivable loan secured by a lien. The loan is fulfilled if the buyer lives in the home for eight years. If the buyer sells or moves out of the home before the end of eight years, they will repay the City for a portion of the original loan amount.
- First-time buyer?
- First-time buyers only
- Accepts ITIN?
- No, per its site
Run by City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department (HCD)
Verified November 5, 2026
No program matches your search.
Rent help
Help with rent and utility bills in Texas
2 programs we checked in Texas to pay rent, power or gas, or avoid an eviction, with what each page says.
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Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Texas program, funded by LIHEAP, that helps low-income households pay for electricity and gas, through local agencies in each county
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I Belong in Austin: Eviction Prevention Resources
Run by City of Austin, Austin Housing · Austin, Travis County, Williamson County, Hays County
City of Austin program against eviction; its page says direct rent help closed and that it now pays settlements negotiated with the landlord through legal aid
Closed, per the source
See details
Help to repair your home
Repair programs in Texas
3 programs we checked in Texas to repair your home or make it more efficient, with what each page says.
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Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
Run by Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA)
Texas weatherization program: upgrades that cut energy use in low-income homes, through local agencies
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Minor Repair Loan
Run by City of San Antonio, Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD) · San Antonio, Bexar County
City of San Antonio interest-free loan, forgiven over time, for safety, health and accessibility repairs in your home
Up to $25,000
See details -
Minor Home Rehabilitation Program
Run by City of Dallas, Housing & Homelessness Division · Dallas, Dallas County, Collin County, Denton County, Kaufman County, Rockwall County
City of Dallas grant for minor repairs to an owner's home, requested through nonprofit organizations
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 Texas?
Of the 7 programs on this page, 4 require it; the rest do not, or their page does not say. 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, 3; not confirmed on its site, 4. Ask the participating lender directly before you start, and ask for it in writing.