City of San Antonio
Full-time civilian employees of the City of San Antonio can get up to $20,000 toward a home, or up to $40,000 inside the CRAG area, forgiven over 10 years of city employment.
City of San Antonio
Same terms as FRHAP without the relocation rule. Covers civilian city staff, not teachers.
Fact-checked November 2026 · our sources
Could I get this? →HOPE follows the same terms as the city's first-responder program. It is a 0% loan with one tenth forgiven for each year of continued employment with the City of San Antonio, so it is gone after a decade. Forgiven amounts are taxable income each year, and the policy took effect October 1, 2023.
Full-time civilian City of San Antonio employees. It does not cover teachers, who work for school districts rather than the city. There is no income or price limit. You must have had no ownership in the past 3 years, and the home must be your primary residence inside city limits in Bexar County. Unlike the first-responder program, HOPE has no rule forcing employees who live outside the city to relocate.
Civilian city staff are not on TSAHC's hero list unless they hold a listed role, but they can use TSAHC's Home Sweet Texas or a TDHCA program. Whether HOPE can sit behind either is not stated in the city policy; a participating lender confirms whether they combine. Employees who earn too much for the city's HIP programs can still use HOPE, since it has no income cap. The first-time buyer steps guide covers the timeline.
The CRAG area doubles the cap, so an employee choosing between two homes can see a large difference by location. Ask the city what happens to the part not yet forgiven if you leave before 10 years. Because the program has no income or price cap, it suits managers and senior staff as well as entry-level employees, and it can be the largest single source of help a civilian city employee has access to.
Because HOPE is funding-dependent, confirm the current year's availability with the department before you sign a purchase contract that counts on it.
Start on the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department's employee assistance page and ask about current funding. Look up whether your target address falls in the CRAG area for the higher amount, and get pre-approved. Then check your eligibility for statewide help.
Full-time civilian City of San Antonio employees. It does not cover teachers.
Up to $20,000, or up to $40,000 inside the CRAG area.
Yes. One tenth is forgiven for each year of continued city employment over 10 years.
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.
We'll reach out when it reopens. Curious what you could qualify for right now?
Run the eligibility check
I'm Linda, and I answer the phones for this desk. See if you're eligible for down payment assistance in Texas. A few taps and you'll know where you stand.
First, what line of work are you in?
Costs nothing. Won't touch your credit. Quit anytime.