El Paso HFC Mi Casa Homebuyer Grant
Taking applicationsCity of El Paso
- Meant for
- Buyers within El Paso city limits; first-time required outside target areas
- How much
- Up to $20,000 grant
- Kind of help
- Grant, nothing to repay
- Income cap
- Non-target: $90,600 (1-2) / $105,340 (3+); Target area: $109,920 / $128,240
- First-timers only?
- Yes
- Fine print
- Down payment and closing costs only; homebuyer education before closing
City page: 'Open Now... FUNDS WON'T LAST LONG!' Contact (915) 228-9336.
Fact-checked November 2026 · our sources
Could I get this? →A true grant
Mi Casa is a grant, not a loan, and it can be used only for the down payment and closing costs. Because there is no lien to pay back, it is among the most generous programs in West Texas. The city's page says it is open now and warns that funds will not last long.
Who qualifies?
Buyers purchasing within El Paso city limits in El Paso County. You must be a first-time buyer unless the home is in a target area. Income limits are higher in target areas: $109,920 for 1 to 2 people and $128,240 for 3 or more, versus $90,600 and $105,340 elsewhere in the city. Homebuyer education must be completed before closing.
Mi Casa and other El Paso help
The El Paso HFC also runs the Welcome Home Downpayment Grant, worth up to 5% of the loan through participating lenders, and it is a TDHCA gift-fund partner. Whether Mi Casa can be combined with Welcome Home, TDHCA or Homes for Texas Heroes is not stated; a participating lender confirms whether they combine. The grant vs. forgivable guide shows why a grant like this differs from a forgivable loan.
Target areas are specific neighborhoods the El Paso HFC has designated, and buying in one opens the program to repeat buyers and raises the income ceiling by about $19,000 for a smaller household. Ask the HFC for the current target area map before you narrow your search. Because the grant only covers down payment and closing costs, it cannot reduce the principal or buy down the rate, so pairing it with a competitive first mortgage still matters.
Because the city itself warns that funds won't last long, buyers who have finished homebuyer education and hold a pre-approval are best placed to use the grant before it runs out this cycle.
How to apply
Call the El Paso HFC at (915) 228-9336 to confirm funds remain, take homebuyer education, and get pre-approved. Check whether the address is in a target area, since that changes both the income limit and the first-time rule. Then check your eligibility for statewide help.
County guides for the area it serves: El Paso County.
Reader questions on El Paso HFC Mi Casa Homebuyer Grant
How much is the El Paso Mi Casa grant?
Up to $20,000 for down payment and closing costs.
Do I need to be a first-time buyer for Mi Casa?
Yes, unless you are buying in a target area.
Is Mi Casa open?
The city page says it is open and that funds won't last long. Call (915) 228-9336 to confirm.
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Summed up from the program's official page as of November 2026. Money and rules change; check current terms with the program or a lender that takes part. Texas Down Payment Assistance has no tie to this program.
