Down Payment Assistance Programs in California (2026 Guide)
California’s home prices scare off a lot of would-be buyers before they even run the numbers, but a 20% down payment has never been a requirement, and the state runs several programs specifically to help close that gap. Here’s what’s available through the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) in 2026.
MyHome Assistance Program
MyHome is CalHFA’s core down payment and closing cost program. It provides a deferred-payment junior loan of up to 3% to 3.5% of the home’s purchase price or appraised value (whichever is less), applied toward your down payment or closing costs. Because payments are deferred, there’s no added monthly bill — the loan comes due when you sell, refinance, or pay off your first mortgage. MyHome must be paired with a CalHFA first mortgage and stays open year-round, unlike some of the state’s more limited programs.
Zero Interest Program (ZIP)
ZIP layers on top of MyHome to help with closing costs specifically. It offers 2% to 3% of the purchase price as a zero-interest, deferred second loan, again due when the home is sold, refinanced, or paid off. Combined with MyHome, ZIP can meaningfully cut down the cash a buyer needs to bring to the table.
Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan
Dream For All is the most generous of CalHFA’s programs, and the most limited in availability. It provides down payment assistance up to 20% of the purchase price, or up to $150,000, as a shared appreciation loan: when the home is later sold or refinanced, the borrower repays the original assistance plus a share of any appreciation in the home’s value.
At least one borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer (generally meaning no parent has owned a home in the U.S.), all borrowers must be first-time buyers, and household income has to fall under county-specific limits. Because funding is limited, CalHFA opens Dream For All applications during specific windows each year rather than keeping it open continuously, so timing matters if this is the program you’re counting on.
MyHome: up to 3–3.5% of purchase price, deferred loan due on sale or refinance
ZIP: 2–3% of purchase price, zero-interest deferred loan for closing costs
Dream For All: up to 20% / $150,000, shared appreciation loan, limited application windows
Income Limits Vary Widely by County
Every CalHFA program has income caps, and they swing dramatically depending on where you’re buying. As a rough sense of the range: limits run up to roughly $211,000 in Los Angeles County, $270,000 in Orange County, and $325,000 in San Francisco and Marin counties. Your actual limit depends on your specific county and household size, so it’s worth checking early rather than assuming you’re priced out.
Other Programs Worth Knowing About
Beyond CalHFA’s statewide offerings, many California cities and counties run their own local down payment assistance programs, and some lenders participate in programs like GSFA Platinum, which layers additional assistance on top of a first mortgage. Because eligibility and funding change often, have a lender check what’s currently available in your specific area rather than relying on last year’s program list.
Buying in California doesn’t have to mean saving 20% first. Contact BrightGate Mortgage and we’ll walk through which down payment assistance programs you actually qualify for, and pair you with a loan program that works with them.
