By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 25, 2026

Santa Ana CA Down Payment Assistance & Homebuyer Programs

See programs you qualify for

Get Matched Free →

Weigh Santa Ana's 0% My First Home loan of up to $120,000 against CalHFA's junior loans and the WISH match, and see which down payment assistance fits your income.

Verified Oct. 2026

Median home value
$713,000
Census ACS 2020-2024
3% down
$21,390
Before closing costs
Closing costs
$15k–$22k
Planning estimate
Assistance paths
5 programs
Plus 6 mortgage options

Start with the program that matches the property

Start with the program that matches the property: a Santa Ana home bought by a household under 80% of area median income, $148,850 for four, can draw a city loan of up to $120,000 at 0%. Buyers above that line, up to CalHFA's $274,000 Orange County limit, lean on MyHome's 3.5%.

CITY

Santa Ana My First Home

Up to $120,000 at 0%

A 0% deferred loan of up to $120,000 for first-time buyers under 80% of AMI who keep 3% of their own savings in the deal.

STATE

CalHFA MyHome Assistance

3.5% with FHA, 3% with other loans

Covers the 3.5% FHA down payment, $24,955 at the median, for first-time buyers earning up to Orange County's $274,000 CalHFA limit.

LENDER NETWORK

WISH Down Payment Matching Grant

Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)

Turns a lower-income saver's own deposit into a grant four times as large, up to $32,837, through a participating member bank.

Plan the cash

What buying in Santa Ana costs

Median home value$713,000
3% down payment$21,390
Estimated closing costs$14,500–$21,500
Estimated cash before assistance$35,890–$42,890

Estimate only, not a quote. About 2% to 3% of Santa Ana's $713,000 median: lender, escrow and title fees, appraisal, prepaid homeowners insurance and Orange County property tax impounds.

Keep cash help separate

Down payment assistance in Santa Ana

Santa Ana My First Home ProgramMaximum:Up to $120,000 at 0%Best fit:First-time buyers at or under 80% of AMIRepayment / limit:0% deferred, due at 30 or 45 years; 3% own funds, held 90 days
WISH Down Payment Matching Grant (FHLBank San Francisco)Maximum:Up to $32,837 (4:1 match)Best fit:Savers under 80% of AMI with a member bankRepayment / limit:Grant, repaid if sold in retention; Member requests through Mar 2027
CalHFA MyAccess ProgramMaximum:2.5% of the first loanBest fit:CalPLUS Access FHA buyers needing more cashRepayment / limit:Deferred for the first loan's life
CalHFA MyHome Assistance ProgramMaximum:3.5% with FHA, 3% with other loansBest fit:Buyers over the city's income lineRepayment / limit:Deferred until sale or refinance
CalHFA Zero Interest Program (ZIP)Maximum:2% or 3% of the first loanBest fit:CalPLUS FHA buyers short on closing cashRepayment / limit:0% interest, deferred

Mortgage options that may pair with assistance

These are financing routes, not additional cash awards. Eligibility and compatibility still depend on the lender and program rules.

HomeReady and Home Possible are conventional mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; FHA, VA and USDA loans are government-backed.

Make a decision

Find your best starting point

Household under 80% of AMI

Apply for My First Home

The city lends up to $120,000 at 0% to first-time buyers under $148,850 for four, but only after escrow opens and only with 3% of your own seasoned savings.

Earning above the city line

Price CalPLUS FHA with ZIP

Households past the city's 80% limit can still use MyHome at 3.5% and ZIP at 2% or 3% up to $274,000 of income, leaving about $4,239 in this median estimate.

Veteran or active duty

Ask about city forgiveness

Veterans and active-duty members get a city preference and can have up to $40,000 of a My First Home loan forgiven, $10,000 for every five years in the home.

Saver with a member bank

Pair WISH with MyHome

WISH multiplies a first-time buyer's deposit four times through FHLBank San Francisco members, and CalHFA accepts other help behind MyHome's second lien.

Property and geography checks

Santa Ana My First HomeWhere:Santa Ana incorporated city limits onlyGate:City lead-paint and code inspection; no duplexes or mobile homes; 3% own funds held 90 days
CalHFA MyHome, ZIP, MyAccessWhere:Statewide; Orange County income limitGate:CalHFA first mortgage; income up to $274,000 since June 30, 2026; homebuyer course required
FHA and CalHFA FHAWhere:All of Santa AnaGate:Condos need an FHA-approved project; with 44.2% of units detached houses, check the complex early
FHLBank WISHWhere:Member banks in CA, AZ and NVGate:Income at or under 80% of AMI, counseling done, escrow opened within a year of enrollment

The fastest way to avoid a bad match

Check the address, property type and price cap before comparing assistance amounts.

A larger advertised benefit doesn’t help if the home or lender is outside that program’s rules.

We’ll fill in its city and state on the free eligibility check. A mailing address that says Santa Ana isn’t always inside city limits, so confirm with the program before you make an offer.

See the math

Three realistic purchase examples

Illustrations only. Approval, availability and program combinations depend on current rules.

Median house with MyHome and ZIP

Price$713,000
Down payment$24,955
Closing costs$18,000
CalHFA MyHome (3.5%)−$24,955
CalHFA ZIP (2%)−$13,761
Estimated gap$4,239

CalPLUS FHA base loan of $688,045 for a first-time buyer under the $274,000 Orange County limit; a 3% ZIP day would raise the loan to $20,641.

$600,000 condo with My First Home

Price$600,000
Down payment$138,000
Closing costs$15,000
Santa Ana My First Home−$120,000
Estimated gap$33,000

The buyer's own $18,000 (3%, held 90 days) plus the city's $120,000 leave a $462,000 fixed-rate first loan; a three-person household must earn $134,000 or less.

WISH saver buying a $500,000 condo

Price$500,000
Down payment$17,500
Closing costs$12,500
CalHFA MyHome (3.5%)−$17,500
WISH grant (4:1 on $2,500 saved)−$10,000
Estimated gap$2,500

CalHFA FHA first loan in an FHA-approved complex; the $2,500 left is the buyer's own matched deposit.

How to apply in Santa Ana

  1. 1

    Finish an 8-hour HUD-approved course

    Homeownership OC or another city-listed counselor

    Santa Ana requires every person on title to hold a HUD-approved 8-hour certificate from the past 12 months. Homeownership OC teaches it free in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic, and the same certificate serves CalHFA and WISH.

    (714) 204-2314 · santa-ana.gov

  2. 2

    Get pre-approved for a fixed-rate first loan

    Any qualified lender, or a CalHFA-approved loan officer

    The city keeps no lender list, but the first mortgage must be fixed-rate with no co-signer. Ask a CalHFA-approved loan officer to price MyHome and ZIP as well, and to explain which second lien the city loan or MyHome would take.

    CalHFA 877-922-5432 · calhfa.ca.gov

  3. 3

    Ask that lender about WISH

    FHLBank San Francisco member institutions

    Members can request 2026 WISH funds through March 12, 2027 from a 13 million dollar pool. Enrollment has to happen before escrow, and escrow must open within one year.

    fhlbsf.com

  4. 4

    Send the city packet when escrow opens

    City of Santa Ana Housing Division

    The Housing Division takes My First Home applications only at the opening of escrow and reviews complete files first come, first served. Include the lender approval, purchase contract and every income form listed on the application.

    (714) 667-2267 · santa-ana.gov

  5. 5

    Clear the city inspection, then close

    City of Santa Ana Housing Division

    City staff inspect for lead-based paint and code problems once you meet every other rule, and the seller may repair what fails. Funds are reserved after the home passes; the city expects 30 to 45 days in all.

    santa-ana.gov

Free eligibility check

5 assistance programs and 6 mortgage options may be available in Santa Ana. See which ones fit you.

  • Free
  • No credit check
  • Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

YesNoNot sure
Question 1 of 6
HouseBuyerGuides.comhousebuyerguides

Local details matter

Buying considerations in Santa Ana

Older homes, median built 1969

Half of Santa Ana's housing predates 1970, and the city inspects every My First Home purchase for lead-based paint and code problems. A home that fails, and isn't repaired, loses the city loan.

Attached homes and condo approvals

Only 44.2% of Santa Ana's units are detached houses, so many entry-level buyers look at condos. The city allows condos, but FHA and CalHFA FHA need an approved project.

Seasoned savings, capped assets

The city wants 3% of the price from your own accounts for 90 days, gifts excluded, and may deny a household with 20% of the price in liquid assets.

City limits, not mailing address

The program guide funds only homes inside Santa Ana's incorporated boundaries, so confirm the parcel's jurisdiction before relying on the $120,000. CalHFA, WISH and federal loans work countywide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can the Santa Ana My First Home loan cover?+
Up to $120,000. The Housing Division lends that amount at 0% interest with no monthly payments, paid from CDBG, CalHome and Inclusionary Housing funds, and CalHome loans stop at 40% of the price. The balance comes due in one payment after 30 or 45 years, or earlier on sale or a cash-out refinance. The home must be inside city limits, and complete applications are reviewed first come, first served.
Who can apply for My First Home right now?+
Only households at or under 80% of area median income. The city's June 2026 chart puts that line at $104,200 for one person, $134,000 for three and $148,850 for four, and the page says 120% households are not being taken for now. Applicants also need a 640 credit score, an 8-hour HUD-approved certificate, no home owned in three years and 3% of the price in their own savings for 90 days.
Can I combine the city loan with CalHFA MyHome?+
No, not automatically. Santa Ana's guide allows other assistance only when the city loan takes second place, total help stays under the price and no cash reaches the buyer. CalHFA's MyHome also records in second position behind a CalHFA first mortgage, so the two rules collide. Ask a CalHFA-approved loan officer and the Housing Division at (714) 667-2267 before planning on both.
How much cash does a median-priced Santa Ana home take?+
About $4,239 in this estimate, using state help. FHA's 3.5% on $713,000 is $24,955, and closing costs near $18,000 bring the total to $42,955. CalHFA's MyHome pays the $24,955, and a 2% ZIP on the $688,045 CalPLUS FHA loan adds $13,761 toward closing. A household under the city's 80% line could instead use My First Home, which requires 3% of its own money.
Does an older Santa Ana home still qualify for the city loan?+
Yes, if it passes inspection. Census puts the median Santa Ana home's construction year at 1969, before the 1978 lead paint ban, and the city inspects every My First Home purchase for lead-based paint hazards and building, health and safety code problems. The seller gets a chance to repair what fails. A home that still does not pass cannot use the program, so budget time for repairs in the contract.
Do veterans get anything extra from Santa Ana?+
Yes. Veterans and active-duty personnel get a local preference in the My First Home queue, and on CDBG or Inclusionary-funded loans they can have up to $40,000 forgiven, $10,000 for every five continuous years in the home, over 20 years. Returning Santa Ana students with a degree or trade certificate get the same incentive, but a household can use only one. A VA loan can serve as the fixed-rate first mortgage.

Buying elsewhere in California? Compare all California home buyer programs →

Sources

Last verified October 25, 2026.

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