Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program

Homeownership is a dream for many Houstonians but may be out of reach for low-income residents. The City offers up to $30,000 to income-qualified Houstonians who are first-time homebuyers or are replacing a home that was damaged by Hurricane Harvey.

Our assistance is a no-interest, forgivable loan secured by a lien. The loan is fulfilled if the buyer lives in the home for five years. If the buyer sells or moves out of the home before the end of five years, they will pay back the City for a portion of the original loan amount.

Program Guidelines
FAQ

By Answering Yes, you may qualify for the Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program

Lived in Houston during Hurricane Harvey (August 2017)?

First-Time Homebuyer OR Lost a Home in Hurricane Harvey?

Willing to attend a homebuyer education course?

Able to obtain a fixed-rate mortgage from a lender?

Household income at or below 120% Area Median Income ?

First Steps

1. Find a Realtor

See a list of realtors who have worked with us before

2. Take an 8-hour homebuyer education course

See a list of accepted locations

3. Get a pre-approval letter from a lender for a fixed-rate mortgage

The Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program has three distinct phases, as detailed below.

Phase 1: Intake

To start, the applicant must submit all documents on the Applicant Document Checklist , including:

The City then reviews all materials. If accepted, the City will issue a Conditional Reservation Letter.

Incomplete applications cannot be processed. Please be sure that you have collected all the documents on the Document Checklist before submitting your application.

Phase 2 (Property Inspection/Underwriting)

Once you receive a Conditional Reservation Letter, it is time to put a property under contract.

Your lender will need to submit all the documents on the Property & Lenders Checklist , including:

The City then reviews these materials and places our loan assistance into underwriting. Meanwhile, the property will be inspected and given an environmental review.

If approved, the City will then issue a Commitment Letter.

Phase 3 (Funding and Post-Closing)

Once you receive a Commitment Letter, you will complete a pre-closing meeting.

Instructions and loan closing documents are sent to title and lender, who submit pre-closing documents, including:

Funds from the Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program are wired on the day of closing.

The title and lender will then submit post-closing documents, including:

  • Original Executed City Deferred Payment Loan Note
  • Final Certified Closing Disclosure

How to submit documents

You may submit your application in one of four ways:

Via Email

(APPLICANTS ONLY)
homebuyersapplication@houstontx.gov

(LENDERS ONLY)
homebuyerslender@houstontx.gov

Via Online Portal

Open Portal

View instructions

Via Mail

Send to:

Housing & Community Development Department
2100 Travis Street, 9th Floor
Houston, TX, 77002

In Person

Take to:

9th floor of
2100 Travis Street
Houston, TX, 77002

Frequently Asked Questions - Applicants

Frequently Asked Questions - Lenders

Questions about the program?

Email Us