Abdul Qayum, Loan Officer · NMLS #24445315.0 · 28 verified client reviewsCalifornia Down Payment Assistance:
Compared Side by Side
Reviewed by Abdul Qayum, Loan Officer, NMLS #2444531
California down payment assistance (DPA) is money from state and local housing agencies, or from a lender, that covers part of your down payment and closing costs. Depending on the program it is a deferred or monthly-repaid second loan, a shared appreciation loan, or a grant with forgiveness conditions.
I compare CalHFA, GSFA, San Diego Housing Commission and lender-funded options side by side, then show you how much each offers and exactly how it gets repaid, before you choose.
Statewide help runs up to 5% of the loan amount through GSFA Platinum (5.5% for GSFA member-county employees) and up to 3.5% of value through CalHFA MyHome; San Diego Housing Commission loans reach 17% of value inside the city and 22% of price in the county for income-qualified first-time buyers; lender-funded options add 3.5% to 5% on FHA and 3% on conventional loans. Figures verified October 17, 2026. Most assistance is a loan that is repaid. Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #173855, is not affiliated with CalHFA, GSFA or SDHC. Not a commitment to lend.
Key takeaways, verified against agency sources on October 17, 2026
- Most California down payment assistance is a loan you repay, not a gift. The deferred ones (CalHFA MyHome, SDHC loans) have no monthly payment and come due at sale or refinance; GSFA seconds are repaid monthly; only the gift portions and SDHC closing-cost grants are not repaid. Source: CalHFA MyHome See the loan-or-gift column →
- Statewide maximums: GSFA Platinum up to 5% of the loan amount (5.5% for GSFA member-county employees) with no first-time-buyer rule; CalHFA MyHome up to 3.5% of value with an FHA first or 3% with a conventional first, first-time buyers only. Source: GSFA Platinum GSFA Platinum guide →
- San Diego has the largest percentages: the City of San Diego low-income loan reaches 17% of value (max $125,000) plus a 4% closing-cost grant (max $10,000), and the county program reaches 22% of price, both for income-qualified first-time buyers. Source: SDHC program table City vs county guide →
- Dream For All is closed to new applications (its 2026 window ran February 24 to March 16, 2026). It provides up to 20% of value, capped at $150,000, as a shared appreciation loan for first-time, first-generation buyers when a window is open. Source: CalHFA Dream For All Current status →
- Credit floors depend on the first mortgage: CalHFA 640 on government loans and 680 on conventional (660 at or below 80% AMI); GSFA Platinum 640; GSFA Golden Opportunities 620. GSFA sets no income limit on FHA, VA or USDA loans. Source: CalHFA government handbook
How Much Help Is on the Table
Maximums from CalHFA, GSFA and the San Diego Housing Commission, checked October 17, 2026. Each is a loan or a gift under its own rules; the comparison below shows which.
Check Your Eligibility
Five quick questions, no credit pull, and Abdul does the matching.
Have you owned a home in the last 3 years?
CalHFA and SDHC programs are for first-time buyers; GSFA and lender-funded options are open to everyone.
How It Works
Three simple steps to your California home
Take the Quiz
60 seconds, and it won't touch your credit. I match you with programs that fit your answers.
I Call You
I review the programs your answers may fit and call you to go over each one, including how it is repaid.
Get Your Keys
Close on your California home with the assistance layered onto an FHA, VA or conventional loan.
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Compare California Down Payment Assistance Programs
Each program below is a loan you repay (deferred until you sell or refinance, or repaid monthly), a gift or grant with its own forgiveness conditions, or a shared appreciation loan. The table shows which is which, what the percentage is measured against, who qualifies, and whether the program is open right now.
Figures checked against each agency's published program pages and term sheets on October 17, 2026. Programs change without notice; the source for every row is linked.
CalHFACalifornia Housing Finance Agency
| Program | Amount | Loan or gift? | Credit score | First-time? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CalHFA MyHome Assistance OpenSource | Up to 3.5% (FHA first) or 3% (conventional first) of the lesser of price or appraised value | Deferred loan Deferred second loan with no monthly payment. The balance comes due when you sell, refinance, transfer the home, or pay off the first mortgage. It is a loan, not a gift. | 640 with a CalHFA government first (660 if manually underwritten or manufactured housing); 680 with a CalHFA conventional first (660 at or below the 80% AMI limit) | Yes No ownership interest in a principal residence in the last 3 years (living in a home owned by your spouse counts as ownership). | First-time buyers who want year-round availability |
California Dream For All ClosedSource | Up to 20%, max $150,000 of the lesser of price or appraised value | Shared appreciation loan Shared appreciation loan: when you sell or refinance you repay the original amount plus a share of the home’s appreciation in proportion to the assistance (20% of appreciation when the assistance was 20% of value, with a reduced share for buyers at or below the 80% AMI limit). | Set by the Dream For All conventional first mortgage | Yes All borrowers must be first-time buyers AND at least one must be a first-generation buyer; one borrower must be a current California resident. | First-generation buyers, only while a funding round is open The 2026 application window ran February 24 to March 16, 2026 and is closed to new applications; selected 2026 applicants are still being processed. Vouchers were issued by random selection. Future application windows are announced by CalHFA. |
CalHFA ZIP OpenSource | 2% or 3% of the CalPLUS first-mortgage loan amount of the loan amount | Deferred loan Deferred closing-cost loan: payments are deferred for the life of the CalPLUS first mortgage. Closing costs only. Since May 5, 2025 it can only be used together with MyHome (MyHome in second position, ZIP in third). | Set by the CalPLUS first mortgage (640 government / 680 conventional baseline) | Yes | Closing-cost help on top of MyHome |
CalHFA MyHome Assistance
Open- Amount
- Up to 3.5% (FHA first) or 3% (conventional first) of the lesser of price or appraised value
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
Deferred second loan with no monthly payment. The balance comes due when you sell, refinance, transfer the home, or pay off the first mortgage. It is a loan, not a gift.
- Credit score
- 640 with a CalHFA government first (660 if manually underwritten or manufactured housing); 680 with a CalHFA conventional first (660 at or below the 80% AMI limit)
- Best for
- First-time buyers who want year-round availability
California Dream For All
Closed- Amount
- Up to 20%, max $150,000 of the lesser of price or appraised value
- Loan or gift?
- Shared appreciation loan
Shared appreciation loan: when you sell or refinance you repay the original amount plus a share of the home’s appreciation in proportion to the assistance (20% of appreciation when the assistance was 20% of value, with a reduced share for buyers at or below the 80% AMI limit).
- Credit score
- Set by the Dream For All conventional first mortgage
- Best for
- First-generation buyers, only while a funding round is open
CalHFA ZIP
Open- Amount
- 2% or 3% of the CalPLUS first-mortgage loan amount of the loan amount
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
Deferred closing-cost loan: payments are deferred for the life of the CalPLUS first mortgage. Closing costs only. Since May 5, 2025 it can only be used together with MyHome (MyHome in second position, ZIP in third).
- Credit score
- Set by the CalPLUS first mortgage (640 government / 680 conventional baseline)
- Best for
- Closing-cost help on top of MyHome
GSFAGolden State Finance Authority
| Program | Amount | Loan or gift? | Credit score | First-time? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSFA Platinum OpenSource | Up to 5% (standard); up to 5.5% for member-county employees of the loan amount | Repayable second Standard Platinum assistance is a second mortgage repaid in monthly installments. The Platinum Select and Assist-to-Own options combine a smaller second with a gift of up to 1.5% to 2% that is not repaid. | 640 (660 for manufactured housing) | No | Repeat buyers and buyers over CalHFA income limits Maximum first-mortgage amount for GSFA Platinum and Golden Opportunities is $832,750 effective January 1, 2026. The temporary expansion of Platinum Select to all borrowers ran May 1 through August 31, 2026 and has ended. Program status is the agency’s; funding on a given day is confirmed at reservation. |
GSFA Platinum Select OpenSource | 5% total: a 3.5% second plus a gift up to 1.5% (FHA/VA/USDA) or a 3% second plus a gift up to 2% (conventional) of the loan amount | Repayable second The second portion is repaid in monthly installments; the gift portion is not repaid. | 640 | No | Law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, health-care workers, CalSTRS/UCRP members and California school or college employees |
GSFA Platinum Assist-to-Own OpenSource | Up to 5.5%: a 3.5% deferred second plus a gift up to 2% (FHA/VA/USDA); 3% + 2% on conventional of the loan amount | Deferred loan The second has no monthly payment and is repaid when you sell or refinance; the gift portion is not repaid. | 640 | No | County employees in a GSFA member county |
GSFA Golden Opportunities OpenSource | Up to 5% with an FHA, VA or USDA first (3.5% second + gift up to 1.5%); up to 4.5% with a conventional first (3% second + gift up to 1.5%) of the loan amount | Repayable second The second is repaid in monthly installments and is due in full if you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage; the gift portion is not repaid. | 620 (FHA, VA and conventional); 640 (USDA) | No | Buyers with credit scores in the low 600s Shown for comparison: GSFA lists Cornerstone First Mortgage as a participating lender for GSFA Platinum, not Golden Opportunities. Maximum first-mortgage amount $832,750 (2026). |
GSFA Platinum
Open- Amount
- Up to 5% (standard); up to 5.5% for member-county employees of the loan amount
- Loan or gift?
- Repayable second
Standard Platinum assistance is a second mortgage repaid in monthly installments. The Platinum Select and Assist-to-Own options combine a smaller second with a gift of up to 1.5% to 2% that is not repaid.
- Credit score
- 640 (660 for manufactured housing)
- Best for
- Repeat buyers and buyers over CalHFA income limits
GSFA Platinum Select
Open- Amount
- 5% total: a 3.5% second plus a gift up to 1.5% (FHA/VA/USDA) or a 3% second plus a gift up to 2% (conventional) of the loan amount
- Loan or gift?
- Repayable second
The second portion is repaid in monthly installments; the gift portion is not repaid.
- Credit score
- 640
- Best for
- Law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, health-care workers, CalSTRS/UCRP members and California school or college employees
GSFA Platinum Assist-to-Own
Open- Amount
- Up to 5.5%: a 3.5% deferred second plus a gift up to 2% (FHA/VA/USDA); 3% + 2% on conventional of the loan amount
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
The second has no monthly payment and is repaid when you sell or refinance; the gift portion is not repaid.
- Credit score
- 640
- Best for
- County employees in a GSFA member county
GSFA Golden Opportunities
Open- Amount
- Up to 5% with an FHA, VA or USDA first (3.5% second + gift up to 1.5%); up to 4.5% with a conventional first (3% second + gift up to 1.5%) of the loan amount
- Loan or gift?
- Repayable second
The second is repaid in monthly installments and is due in full if you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage; the gift portion is not repaid.
- Credit score
- 620 (FHA, VA and conventional); 640 (USDA)
- Best for
- Buyers with credit scores in the low 600s
SDHCSan Diego Housing Commission
| Program | Amount | Loan or gift? | Credit score | First-time? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SDHC City of San Diego Low-Income OpenSource | Deferred loan up to 17% (max $125,000) plus a closing-cost grant of 4% (max $10,000) of the lesser of price or appraised value | Deferred loan The down payment loan has no monthly payment and is never forgiven: principal plus accrued interest is due when you sell, transfer title, stop living in the home, or at the end of the loan term. The closing-cost grant is forgiven at closing. | Set by the first mortgage and SDHC underwriting | Yes No home ownership (in any country) in the last 3 years. | Income-qualified first-time buyers inside San Diego city limits SDHC’s program page showed “Funds Available” in September 2026; current funding is confirmed with SDHC at reservation. |
SDHC City of San Diego Middle-Income OpenSource | $50,000: a $40,000 deferred loan plus a $10,000 closing-cost grant of the fixed dollar amount | Deferred loan Repayment of the loan is initially deferred, then monthly installments are required. The $10,000 grant is forgiven after three years of living in the home. | 660 under SDHC’s June 2026 program guidelines; 720 for debt ratios between 45% and 50%, subject to underwriting (SDHC’s web page still shows 640) | Yes | Moderate-income first-time buyers in the city who are over the low-income limit |
SDHC County of San Diego Low-Income OpenSource | Deferred loan up to 22% of price plus a closing-cost loan of 4% (max $10,000) of the purchase price | Deferred loan Deferred second with no monthly payment; principal plus accrued interest is due when you sell, transfer title, stop living in the home, or at the end of the loan term. | Set by the first mortgage and SDHC underwriting | Yes | Income-qualified first-time buyers outside San Diego city limits |
SDHC City of San Diego Low-Income
Open- Amount
- Deferred loan up to 17% (max $125,000) plus a closing-cost grant of 4% (max $10,000) of the lesser of price or appraised value
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
The down payment loan has no monthly payment and is never forgiven: principal plus accrued interest is due when you sell, transfer title, stop living in the home, or at the end of the loan term. The closing-cost grant is forgiven at closing.
- Credit score
- Set by the first mortgage and SDHC underwriting
- Best for
- Income-qualified first-time buyers inside San Diego city limits
SDHC City of San Diego Middle-Income
Open- Amount
- $50,000: a $40,000 deferred loan plus a $10,000 closing-cost grant of the fixed dollar amount
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
Repayment of the loan is initially deferred, then monthly installments are required. The $10,000 grant is forgiven after three years of living in the home.
- Credit score
- 660 under SDHC’s June 2026 program guidelines; 720 for debt ratios between 45% and 50%, subject to underwriting (SDHC’s web page still shows 640)
- Best for
- Moderate-income first-time buyers in the city who are over the low-income limit
SDHC County of San Diego Low-Income
Open- Amount
- Deferred loan up to 22% of price plus a closing-cost loan of 4% (max $10,000) of the purchase price
- Loan or gift?
- Deferred loan
Deferred second with no monthly payment; principal plus accrued interest is due when you sell, transfer title, stop living in the home, or at the end of the loan term.
- Credit score
- Set by the first mortgage and SDHC underwriting
- Best for
- Income-qualified first-time buyers outside San Diego city limits
Lender-funded options (Cornerstone First Mortgage)
| Program | Amount | Loan or gift? | Credit score | First-time? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lender-funded FHA down payment assistance Open | 3.5% to 5%, depending on the option of the basis set by the option | Grant or second loan (varies) Depending on the option, the assistance is a grant that is not repaid or a second loan. The calculation basis, repayment terms, credit requirements and income limits are confirmed at application. | Set by the option; confirmed at application | No | Buyers who do not fit an agency program or need help beyond it Offered through Cornerstone First Mortgage’s wholesale lending relationships; terms are confirmed at application. |
Lender-funded conventional down payment assistance Open | 3%, depending on the option of the basis set by the option | Grant or second loan (varies) Depending on the option, the assistance is a grant that is not repaid or a second loan, paired with a conventional first mortgage. The calculation basis, repayment terms, credit requirements and income limits are confirmed at application. | Set by the option; confirmed at application | No | Buyers who want a conventional loan with less cash to close Offered through Cornerstone First Mortgage’s wholesale lending relationships; terms are confirmed at application. |
Lender-funded FHA down payment assistance
Open- Amount
- 3.5% to 5%, depending on the option of the basis set by the option
- Loan or gift?
- Grant or second loan (varies)
Depending on the option, the assistance is a grant that is not repaid or a second loan. The calculation basis, repayment terms, credit requirements and income limits are confirmed at application.
- Credit score
- Set by the option; confirmed at application
- Best for
- Buyers who do not fit an agency program or need help beyond it
Lender-funded conventional down payment assistance
Open- Amount
- 3%, depending on the option of the basis set by the option
- Loan or gift?
- Grant or second loan (varies)
Depending on the option, the assistance is a grant that is not repaid or a second loan, paired with a conventional first mortgage. The calculation basis, repayment terms, credit requirements and income limits are confirmed at application.
- Credit score
- Set by the option; confirmed at application
- Best for
- Buyers who want a conventional loan with less cash to close
GSFA OpenDoors: No longer listed on GSFA’s site as of October 2026 (its program page returns 404). The widely quoted “up to 7%” figure came from this program; GSFA no longer publishes it, so do not rely on it. GSFA program list.
Not sure which column you land in? Take the 60-second quiz and Abdul will line up the programs your answers fit.
Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC is a CalHFA-approved lender and a Participating Lender in the GSFA Platinum program. This website is operated by Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC and is not a government website; the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA), the Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) and the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) do not operate it. Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA) is a duly constituted public entity and agency. Program terms, eligibility requirements, and availability are set by those agencies and may change without notice. Percentages are maximums set by each agency and are reduced by the agency's own loan limits, income limits and pricing; eligibility and funding are determined by a full application. MyHome, Dream For All and the SDHC city low-income loan are measured against the lesser of purchase price or appraised value; ZIP and the GSFA programs against the first-mortgage loan amount; the SDHC county loan against purchase price; the SDHC middle-income program is a fixed dollar amount. “Open” reflects the agency's program status, not funding on a given day.
One Program Rarely Fits Every Buyer.
I Put Your Options Side by Side.
Every down payment assistance program has different requirements: credit scores, income limits, county restrictions, assistance amounts, and the first-mortgage terms that come with it. My job is to sort through the ones you may fit and show you, side by side, how much help each one offers and what it costs you over time.
Three Agencies Plus Lender-Funded Options
I compare CalHFA, GSFA, the San Diego Housing Commission and the lender-funded FHA and conventional assistance Cornerstone offers, and point out the ones your answers may fit.
What Each Program Could Provide
Each program has its own cap, calculation base and rules. I show what each could provide for your price and loan amount: up to 5% of the loan with GSFA Platinum, and up to 17% of value for income-qualified San Diego buyers.
The Whole Cost, Not Just the Assistance
The assistance is only half the picture. I set the first-mortgage terms next to each program so you can see how it changes your payment and what you would owe back later.
Not Just First-Time Buyers
GSFA Platinum, GSFA Golden Opportunities and the lender-funded options have no first-time buyer requirement. If you have owned before, you can still qualify for assistance.
“I compare the CalHFA, GSFA, SDHC and lender-funded programs I can offer so you don't have to. Then I explain the trade-offs in plain English, so the program you choose is one you understand and can live with.”
— Abdul Qayum, NMLS #2444531
No cost to get matched, no obligation, and the quiz doesn't check your credit
How Much Could Each Program Provide?
Enter your price and a few details. Each program's published percentage and cap is applied to your own numbers, nothing else. Figures verified against agency sources on October 17, 2026.
What Abdul's Clients Say
Reviews collected by Experience.com from borrowers who closed with Abdul Qayum. Names are shown the way the platform publishes them. Read all 28 on Experience.com
Reviews reflect individual experiences and are not a guarantee of loan approval, program eligibility or assistance amounts, which vary by program, county, income and borrower qualification.
California DPA Questions
Straight answers from Abdul Qayum, NMLS #2444531, checked against each agency's published rules on October 17, 2026.
Usually a loan you repay. CalHFA MyHome, CalHFA ZIP, the GSFA Assist-to-Own second and all San Diego Housing Commission down payment loans are deferred loans: no monthly payment, but the balance is due when you sell, refinance, transfer the home or pay off the first mortgage. GSFA Platinum and Golden Opportunities seconds are repaid in monthly installments. The gift portions are the exceptions: GSFA Platinum Select and Golden Opportunities include a gift of up to 1.5% to 2% that is never repaid, SDHC’s closing-cost grants are forgiven, and some lender-funded options are structured as gifts. Dream For All is a shared appreciation loan. I tell you which bucket each option falls into before you choose.
Sources: CalHFA MyHome · GSFA Platinum · SDHC program table
CalHFA (California Housing Finance Agency) is the state housing finance agency; its MyHome, ZIP and Dream For All programs are for first-time buyers and are measured against the lesser of your purchase price or appraised value. GSFA (Golden State Finance Authority) is a public joint powers authority whose Platinum and Golden Opportunities programs have no first-time-buyer rule and are measured against your first-mortgage loan amount. SDHC (San Diego Housing Commission) runs the City and County of San Diego first-time buyer loans, which are the largest percentages in the state for income-qualified buyers but only inside San Diego County. Lender-funded FHA and conventional assistance fills the gaps for buyers who do not fit any of them.
Sources: CalHFA MyHome · GSFA Platinum · SDHC first-time homebuyer programs
GSFA no longer lists OpenDoors as a program. As of October 17, 2026 its site offers GSFA Platinum, GSFA Golden Opportunities and ReCoverCA for disaster survivors, and the OpenDoors page returns a not-found error. Pages that still advertise “up to 7%” are out of date. The current GSFA maximum is 5% of the loan amount for most buyers and 5.5% for employees of GSFA member counties.
Sources: GSFA program list · GSFA Platinum
No. CalHFA’s 2026 Dream For All application window ran February 24 to March 16, 2026 and vouchers were issued by random selection, so you cannot apply today; selected 2026 applicants are still being processed. When it reopens, every borrower must be a first-time buyer, at least one must be a first-generation buyer (no ownership in a U.S. home in the last 7 years and parents who do not currently own, or time in foster or institutional care), one must be a current California resident, and the loan pairs only with the Dream For All conventional first mortgage. It provides up to 20% of the lesser of price or appraised value, capped at $150,000, repaid as the original amount plus a proportional share of your home’s appreciation. I keep this answer current and can line up a non-lottery program in the meantime.
Sources: CalHFA Dream For All · CalHFA press release, Jan 16, 2026 · CalHFA first-generation definition
Yes. GSFA Platinum, GSFA Golden Opportunities and the lender-funded options have no first-time-buyer requirement. CalHFA and SDHC programs do: CalHFA counts you as first-time if you have had no ownership interest in a principal residence in the last 3 years, and SDHC uses a similar 3-year test that includes homes owned in other countries. If you owned a home years ago and sold it, you may qualify for all of them.
Sources: CalHFA Government Loan Programs handbook · GSFA Platinum · SDHC City of San Diego guidelines
It depends on the program and the first mortgage it is paired with. CalHFA requires 640 with a CalHFA FHA, VA or USDA first (660 if manually underwritten or for manufactured housing) and 680 with a CalHFA conventional first (660 if your income is at or below the 80% area median income limit). GSFA Platinum starts at 640 and GSFA Golden Opportunities at 620. SDHC’s middle-income program requires 660 under its June 2026 guidelines (its web page still shows 640), or 720 for debt ratios between 45% and 50%, subject to underwriting. Lender-funded options have their own floors. I check the real requirement for your scenario rather than quoting one number.
Sources: CalHFA Government Loan Programs handbook · CalHFA Conventional Loan Programs handbook · GSFA Platinum conventional term sheet · GSFA Golden Opportunities · SDHC Middle-Income guidelines
CalHFA publishes income limits by county and updated them in June 2026; the limit depends on where you buy. GSFA sets no income limit on FHA, VA or USDA first mortgages and applies county limits only to its Freddie Mac conventional option. SDHC’s low-income loans are for households at or below 80% of the San Diego area median income and its middle-income program for 80% to 150%; the 2026 San Diego median income is $130,900. Some lender-funded options have no income limit at all. Tell me your county and household size and I will show you the current figure.
Sources: CalHFA Program Bulletin #2026-07 (income limits) · GSFA income limits · SDHC 2026 AMI income limits
GSFA Platinum Select is built for them: 5% of the loan amount in total, part of it a gift that is never repaid, for law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics, health-care workers, CalSTRS and UCRP members, and California school and college employees. You can also qualify for Select by using an FHA Energy Efficient or USDA first mortgage. GSFA briefly opened Select to everyone from May 1 through August 31, 2026; that expansion has ended. County employees in a GSFA member county can use Platinum Assist-to-Own, which reaches 5.5% on FHA, VA and USDA loans (5% on conventional) with a deferred second and a gift.
Sources: GSFA Platinum (Select and Assist-to-Own) · GSFA lender bulletins
Inside San Diego city limits, income-qualified first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income can get a deferred down payment loan of up to 17% of the lesser of price or appraised value, capped at $125,000, plus a closing-cost grant of 4% up to $10,000 that is forgiven at closing; the maximum price is $883,025. City buyers earning 80% to 150% of area median income can use the middle-income program: a $40,000 deferred loan plus a $10,000 closing-cost grant forgiven after three years of living in the home, with a $1,250,000 price cap. Outside the city, the county program covers the unincorporated areas and Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway, San Marcos, Santee, Solana Beach and Vista with a deferred loan of up to 22% of price and a closing-cost loan of 4% up to $10,000, maximum price $743,000. SDHC also administers a county moderate-income program and programs for Chula Vista and El Cajon, which I check case by case. SDHC loans must be originated by an SDHC-trained loan officer at a participating lender; Cornerstone First Mortgage is a participating lender and I am set up with SDHC to originate them.
Sources: SDHC program table and participating lenders · SDHC Middle-Income program · SDHC program summary chart
Deferred loans (CalHFA MyHome and ZIP, GSFA Assist-to-Own, SDHC down payment loans) have no monthly payment and come due when you sell, refinance, transfer title, stop living in the home, or pay off the first mortgage. SDHC’s city low-income loan is never forgiven, and its middle-income loan starts monthly payments after an initial deferral. GSFA Platinum and Golden Opportunities seconds are repaid monthly from the start. Gifts and SDHC closing-cost grants are not repaid once their conditions are met. Dream For All is repaid with a share of appreciation. I put the repayment terms next to each option in writing before you commit.
Sources: CalHFA MyHome handbook · GSFA Golden Opportunities term sheet · SDHC City of San Diego guidelines
CalHFA requires a CalHFA-accepted homebuyer education course, which can be completed online or in person through an approved provider. SDHC requires both a homebuyer education class and pre-purchase counseling with an SDHC-approved provider for borrowers and any non-borrowing spouse. GSFA and lender-funded options follow the education rules of the first mortgage they are paired with. I point you to the right course for the program you choose.
Sources: CalHFA MyHome (education requirement) · SDHC program summary chart
Sometimes. CalHFA ZIP can only be used together with MyHome (MyHome in second position, ZIP in third) since May 5, 2025, and Dream For All cannot be combined with MyHome. GSFA programs pair a second mortgage with a gift inside the same program but are not stacked with CalHFA assistance. SDHC loans sit behind a fixed-rate first mortgage from a participating lender. Lender-funded assistance is matched to its own FHA or conventional first. Which combinations are allowed is one of the first things I check for your scenario.
Sources: CalHFA Program Bulletin #2025-04 (ZIP with MyHome) · CalHFA Conventional Loan Programs handbook
It adds steps. Agency programs require education certificates, a reservation of funds and the agency’s own review of the file, and SDHC loans add the commission’s underwriting on top of the lender’s, which can extend escrow. I coordinate timing with you and your real estate agent so the contract allows for it. Processing times vary, and approval and closing are not guaranteed.
Sources: SDHC lender participation agreement
Because the programs differ in more than the headline percentage: who qualifies, what the percentage is measured against, how much help is available in your county, whether the money is a gift or a loan, when it has to be repaid, and how it shapes the first mortgage that goes with it. Two buyers with similar incomes can land in different programs because of credit score, county, profession or first-time status. Laying the options side by side lets you weigh the assistance, the first-mortgage terms and the repayment rules together before you commit.
Still have questions?
Call Abdul for a free, no-obligation conversation about which California program fits you.
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A loan officer and a real estate broker who work California purchases together. Abdul handles the financing and the assistance programs; Nahida handles the home search, the offer and the negotiation.
Abdul Qayum
Loan Officer · NMLS #2444531
Abdul Qayum is a Mortgage Loan Originator (NMLS #2444531) with Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC (NMLS #173855), working out of the company's San Diego headquarters. He has been in mortgage lending since 2016, about 10 years, and is licensed in California, Florida, Michigan, Nevada and Texas.
On this site Abdul does one job: he lines up the California down payment assistance programs a buyer's answers may fit, CalHFA, GSFA, the San Diego Housing Commission and the lender-funded options Cornerstone offers, and explains, before anyone commits, how much help each provides, what it costs over time, and what has to be repaid and when. Clients consistently describe him the same way in their reviews: patient, transparent, and reachable.
Nahida Azad
Real Estate Broker · CA DRE #01966282 · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Realty
Nahida Azad is a licensed California real estate broker and REALTOR®, working as a broker associate with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Realty in Riverside. She has held a California real estate license since 2014, came to the business from a background in teaching, and works with first-time buyers, move-up buyers and investors.
Abdul Qayum (Cornerstone First Mortgage, LLC) and Nahida Azad (Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Realty) share this website. They work for separate, unaffiliated companies, and neither pays the other for referrals. You are free to choose any lender and any real estate agent; using one of them never requires using the other.