5% grant
Up to 5% of your loan amount for down payment and closing costs. It is a grant that never has to be repaid.
Texas down payment assistance directory · November 2026
Up to 5% toward your first Texas home, for the people who serve
TSAHC's Homes for Texas Heroes program gives eligible teachers, peace officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, corrections officers, nursing and allied health faculty and veterans up to 5% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs. It runs year-round through approved lenders.
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5%of the loan for down payment & closing
620minimum credit (640 conventional)
170%of area median income limit
15%of mortgage interest as a tax credit
The program
Homes for Texas Heroes in four numbers
Down payment and closing cost help, a 30-year fixed rate and a tax credit option for eligible Texas teachers, first responders and veterans.
Homes for Texas Heroes is a year-round program from the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC). It pairs a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with up to 5% of the loan amount for down payment and closing costs, either as a grant you never repay or as a loan forgiven after 3 years. First-time buyers can also add a Mortgage Credit Certificate, a federal tax credit.
Who qualifies
The jobs on the list
Full-time Texas public school educators, peace officers, public security officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, corrections and juvenile corrections officers, county jailers, nursing and allied health faculty, and eligible veterans and service members. Hospital nurses are not on the list; school nurses and nursing faculty are.
Teachers & school staff
Full-time public K-12 teachers, aides, librarians, certified counselors and school nurses.
Peace & security officers
City police, sheriff's deputies, school-district and campus police, and armed public security officers.
Firefighters
Permanent, full-time fire department members in suppression, inspection, investigation, training or similar fire duties.
EMS personnel
Full-time emergency care attendants, EMTs, EMT-Intermediates, EMT-Paramedics and licensed paramedics.
Corrections & jailers
TDCJ and TJJD employees on hazardous duty pay, plus full-time county jailers.
Nursing & allied health faculty
Full-time faculty in nursing or allied health programs. Hospital nurses do not qualify.
Veterans & military
Qualifying veterans, active duty assigned in Texas, Texas National Guard and long-serving reservists.
Run the numbers
See what 5% of your loan could cover
Homes for Texas Heroes assistance is figured on the loan amount, not the home price. Pick a price and loan type to see a rough number.
The money
Choose how you take your 5%
5% forgivable loan
Up to 5% of the loan as a second lien that is forgiven after 3 years if you don't sell or refinance. Your lender explains the full terms, including occupancy.
No-DPA rate option
Skip the down payment help and take what TSAHC calls a very competitive interest rate instead. Since 2025 TSAHC has also offered temporary and permanent rate buydowns.
Mortgage Credit Certificate
First-time buyers can add a federal tax credit worth 15% of the mortgage interest you pay each year. It's free when paired with TSAHC down payment help.
Reporter's note. Down payment help is first-come, first-served through approved lenders. TSAHC said in July 2026 that funding for most DPA options is unlimited. The standalone MCC is suspended, so the tax credit is only available alongside TSAHC down payment help, subject to bond funding.
The rules
What it takes to qualify
- An eligible hero job
- You work full time in one of the listed roles, or you are an eligible veteran or service member. Your lender verifies it with a license, certification, employer letter or DD214.
- Income under the limit
- Heroes buyers can earn up to 170% of area median family income. TSAHC's July 2026 figures run from $172,550 in El Paso to $228,480 in Austin. See the limits.
- Credit score
- At least 620 for a government loan or 640 for a conventional loan. Lenders also apply their own standards.
- Homebuyer education
- One borrower completes an approved homebuyer education course, online or in person, before closing.
- Primary residence
- The home must be where you live: a single-family home, condo, townhome or eligible manufactured home.
- First-time buyer? Not required
- Prior homeowners can use Heroes down payment help. Only the Mortgage Credit Certificate requires no ownership of a primary home in the past 3 years, with waivers for qualified veterans and targeted areas.
The mortgage
What the first loan looks like
The first mortgage is a 30-year fixed-rate loan from a TSAHC-approved lender. You don't apply to TSAHC directly.
Loan types
- 30-year fixed rate
- Government loans (620 minimum score) and conventional loans (640 minimum)
- Ask your lender which FHA, VA or USDA options it offers through TSAHC
Rates
- TSAHC rates change daily; your lender quotes the current one
- The No-DPA option trades the 5% for a lower rate
- TSAHC has offered temporary and permanent buydowns since 2025
Price and property
- No purchase price limit for non-bond DPA without an MCC
- Price limits apply if you use bond DPA or add the MCC
- Primary residence only: house, condo, townhome or eligible manufactured home
Step by step
How the loan actually gets done
- Take a quick eligibility check, here or with TSAHC's free quiz, to see whether you may fit the down payment help, the MCC or both.
- Choose a loan officer at a TSAHC-approved lender. The lender checks your job, income and credit and submits everything for you.
- Gather proof of your profession, such as a TCOLE license, TCFP or DSHS certification, SBEC certification, TDCJ or TJJD verification of employment, or a DD214.
- Pick your option with the lender: the 5% grant, the 5% three-year forgivable loan, or the No-DPA rate, plus the MCC if you're a first-time buyer.
- Complete an approved homebuyer education course before closing. Only one borrower needs to take it.
- Find a home, ideally with a REALTOR who knows TSAHC programs, and close on your primary residence.
Paperwork to pull together
Proof of your profession
Your license or certification (TCOLE, TCFP, DSHS or SBEC), a TDCJ or TJJD verification of employment, or your DD214 if you're a veteran.
Income and assets
Whatever your lender asks for to confirm income, credit and funds to close. For non-bond DPA without an MCC, only your own qualifying income counts toward the limit.
Education certificate
Proof that you finished an approved homebuyer education course before closing.
By county
Pick the county where you're buying
TSAHC publishes Heroes income figures for six metros, and a lender confirms the exact limit for your county. Pick your county for local context.
HarrisDallasTarrantBexarTravisCollinDentonFort BendHidalgoEl PasoMontgomeryWilliamsonCameronBrazoriaBellGalvestonNuecesLubbockHaysWebb
City programs · Every county guide · Income limits · Home budget calculator · The full program list
Get a person on it
Work with a loan officer who has closed these before
Only TSAHC-approved lenders can offer Homes for Texas Heroes, and they handle the paperwork with TSAHC for you. A loan officer who uses the program regularly can confirm your county's limit, compare the grant with the forgivable loan, and tell you whether adding the MCC is worth it.
Not on a W-2?
If you work for yourself
Own a business or work on 1099s?
Roofers, hotshot drivers, stylists and contractors can use Texas programs open to any job. Lenders go by your Schedule C, not your gross sales.
- Net profit plus depreciation is what counts
- Plan on two years of signed returns
- Home Sweet Texas and TDHCA take any job
Rideshare, delivery and app work
Earn your living on the apps?
Rideshare and delivery drivers can tap Texas programs open to any job. Lenders count your profit after miles and tolls, so know that number first.
- Two years of returns is the usual bar
- Keep every 1099 from every platform
- Home Sweet Texas and TDHCA are open to drivers
Reader questions
What people ask us about Homes for Texas Heroes Home Loan Program
Do Texas teachers qualify for Homes for Texas Heroes?
Yes. Full-time public K-12 classroom teachers qualify, along with teacher aides, school librarians, certified school counselors and school nurses. Your certification is checked through the State Board for Educator Certification. Private-school jobs are not listed as eligible.
Are nurses eligible?
Only some. Hospital and clinic nurses are not a listed Heroes profession. Full-time public school nurses qualify as professional educators, and full-time faculty in undergraduate or graduate nursing programs qualify. Other nurses can look at TSAHC's Home Sweet Texas program, which is open to any profession.
How much down payment help can I get?
Up to 5% of the loan amount toward down payment and closing costs. You choose a grant that never has to be repaid, or a second-lien loan that is forgiven after three years if you don't sell or refinance.
Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?
No, not for the Heroes down payment help. Prior homeowners can qualify. The Mortgage Credit Certificate is limited to first-time buyers (no primary residence owned in the past three years), with waivers for qualified veterans and targeted areas.
What credit score do I need?
TSAHC requires at least 620 for government loans and 640 for conventional loans. Your lender also applies its own underwriting standards.
What are the income limits?
Heroes buyers can earn up to 170% of area median family income, which varies by area. TSAHC's July 2026 figures include $228,480 in Austin, $205,870 in Dallas, $187,510 in Fort Worth, $178,339 in San Antonio, $176,800 in Houston and $172,550 in El Paso. A lender confirms the limit for your county. Adding the MCC means meeting a lower 115% limit.
Is there a maximum home price?
For TSAHC's non-bond down payment help without a Mortgage Credit Certificate, there is no purchase price limit. Price limits do apply if you use bond DPA or add the MCC, so ask your lender which applies to you.
Are EMTs, paramedics and jailers included?
Yes. Full-time emergency care attendants, EMTs, EMT-Intermediates, EMT-Paramedics and licensed paramedics qualify. So do full-time county jailers with a TCOLE license, and TDCJ and TJJD employees who receive hazardous duty pay.
How do I apply?
Check your eligibility, then work with a loan officer at a TSAHC-approved lender. You don't apply to TSAHC directly. You'll also finish an approved homebuyer education course before closing.
Is this site the program?
No. Texas Down Payment Assistance is an independent guide operated by Boss Leads. We are not TSAHC and not a lender. We explain the program and connect you with lenders who offer it.
See if you're a Texas Hero
Answer six quick questions and a loan officer who offers Homes for Texas Heroes will follow up with your real numbers.
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