See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated May 8, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Pueblo, CO (2026)

Population: 111,561 | Median home price: $290,000 | Est. closing costs: $6,000 - $8,500

Pueblo is the ninth-largest city in Colorado and the largest city south of Colorado Springs, sitting at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek. With a median home price near $290,000 — about half the Denver metro median — Pueblo is one of the most affordable major housing markets in Colorado. The city's program ecosystem is distinct from the Denver metro: most metro Denver programs (metroDPA, NeighborhoodLIFT, Habitat Metro Denver) do not extend here. Instead, Pueblo buyers work with NeighborWorks Southern Colorado, the Pueblo-based CDFI and HUD-approved counseling agency that administers down payment assistance funded by a mix of state, federal, and private sources. Pueblo County offers up to $5,000 in forgivable down payment assistance for first-time buyers purchasing within the city or county, and the City of Pueblo's separate HDAP program (currently closed to new applications) historically provided similar amounts. Statewide, the CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant adds up to $25,000 that never has to be repaid. Habitat for Humanity of Pueblo builds affordable homes locally with a sweat-equity ownership model. With the lower price point, even modest assistance goes further: $25,000 in CHFA grants alone can cover a 5-10% down payment on a typical Pueblo home.

City Programs in Pueblo

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
City of Pueblo Home Down Payment Assistance Program (HDAP)	Forgivable Loan	Up to $5,000	Yes	View →

City of Pueblo Home Down Payment Assistance Program (HDAP)

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $5,000
First-time only:: Yes

County Programs in Pueblo County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Pueblo County Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $5,000	Yes	View →

Pueblo County Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $5,000
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Colorado

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
CHAC Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	$5,000 to $12,000 (6% of lesser of sale price or appraised value, capped at $12,000)	Yes	View →
CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant	Grant	Up to lesser of $25,000 or 3% of first mortgage	No	View →
CHFA Down Payment Assistance Second Mortgage Loan	Deferred Loan	Up to lesser of $25,000 or 4% of first mortgage	No	View →
CHFA FirstGeneration	Deferred Loan	Up to $25,000 in deferred down payment assistance, paired with 30-year fixed first mortgage	Yes	View →
CHFA FirstStep	Government-Insured Mortgage	30-year fixed-rate FHA first mortgage	Yes	View →
CHFA HomeAccess	Zero-Interest Loan	30-year fixed first mortgage plus optional $25,000 second mortgage for down payment and closing costs	No	View →

CHAC Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: $5,000 to $12,000 (6% of lesser of sale price or appraised value, capped at $12,000)
First-time only:: Yes

CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to lesser of $25,000 or 3% of first mortgage
First-time only:: No

CHFA Down Payment Assistance Second Mortgage Loan

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to lesser of $25,000 or 4% of first mortgage
First-time only:: No

CHFA FirstGeneration

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $25,000 in deferred down payment assistance, paired with 30-year fixed first mortgage
First-time only:: Yes

CHFA FirstStep

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: 30-year fixed-rate FHA first mortgage
First-time only:: Yes

CHFA HomeAccess

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: 30-year fixed first mortgage plus optional $25,000 second mortgage for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

Federal Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHA Loans	Government-Insured Mortgage	Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)	No	View →
Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)	Government Property Sale Program	50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes	Yes	View →
Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment	No	View →
HUD $100 Down Program	FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase	Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.	No	View →
USDA Rural Development Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value	No	View →
VA Loans	Government-Guaranteed Mortgage	No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)	No	View →

FHA Loans

Type:: Government-Insured Mortgage
Amount:: Up to FHA county loan limits ($541,287 floor to $1,249,125 ceiling for single-family in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: Up to conforming loan limits ($832,750 standard / $1,249,125 high-cost in 2026); 3% minimum down payment
First-time only:: No

HUD $100 Down Program

Type:: FHA-Financed HUD REO Purchase
Amount:: Only $100 down payment required (vs. standard 3.5% FHA down payment). HUD may also pay up to 3% of buyer's closing costs.
First-time only:: No

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: No loan limit for veterans with full entitlement (0% down at any price); partial entitlement subject to conforming limits ($832,750 standard in 2026)
First-time only:: No

Nonprofit Programs

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Habitat for Humanity of Pueblo Homeownership Program	Zero-Interest Loan	Affordable Habitat mortgage with sweat-equity ownership model	Yes	View →
NeighborWorks Southern Colorado Down Payment Assistance	Deferred Loan	Down payment assistance amount varies based on funding source and borrower qualifications	No	View →

Habitat for Humanity of Pueblo Homeownership Program

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Affordable Habitat mortgage with sweat-equity ownership model
First-time only:: Yes

NeighborWorks Southern Colorado Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Down payment assistance amount varies based on funding source and borrower qualifications
First-time only:: No

Free eligibility check

17 programs available in Pueblo. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. Most Pueblo programs require first-time buyer status (no homeownership in the past 3 years) and household income at or below 80% of Pueblo County AMI. CHFA programs allow higher income limits — check current thresholds for your household size.

Step 2: Complete homebuyer education. NeighborWorks Southern Colorado at 719-544-8078 is the primary HUD-approved housing counseling agency in Pueblo, offering free homebuyer education classes and one-on-one counseling in English and Spanish.

Step 3: Get pre-approved with a CHFA-participating lender. Local Pueblo lenders including Sunflower Bank can connect you with CHFA programs and the Down Payment Resource tool to identify all programs you qualify for.

Step 4: Apply for local DPA. Contact Pueblo County Human Services for the County DPA Program ($5,000 forgivable). NeighborWorks Southern Colorado can help you stack their DPA with state and federal programs.

Step 5: Find a home within program limits. With the lower median home price in Pueblo, most homes fall well within program purchase price limits. Confirm property eligibility before going under contract.

Step 6: Submit your application. Funding is first-come, first-served and several programs cycle through funding annually. The City of Pueblo HDAP is currently closed but may reopen — check with the City for current status.

Step 7: Close on your home. Most DPA programs deliver funds at closing through your title company. Plan for 45-60 days from contract to close when stacking multiple assistance programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much down payment assistance can I get in Pueblo?+

Pueblo buyers can typically stack $25,000 to $35,000 in combined assistance. The CHFA Down Payment Assistance Grant alone provides up to $25,000 that never needs repayment. The Pueblo County Down Payment Assistance Program adds up to $5,000 forgivable after 5 years of owner-occupancy. NeighborWorks Southern Colorado can layer additional DPA from their state, federal, and private funding sources. With Pueblo's median home price near $290,000, $25,000-$30,000 in combined assistance can cover the entire down payment plus closing costs on a typical home.

Does Pueblo have a city-funded down payment assistance program?+

Yes, the City of Pueblo runs the Home Down Payment Assistance Program (HDAP), which historically provided up to $5,000 in forgivable assistance to first-time homebuyers purchasing within city limits. However, the HDAP program is currently closed to new applications. Contact the City of Pueblo Department of Housing and Citizen Services for current status and to be notified when the program reopens. In the meantime, the Pueblo County DPA program remains active with similar terms.

Do Denver metro programs like metroDPA work in Pueblo?+

No. Pueblo is outside the Denver metro service area, so programs like metroDPA, CRHDC NeighborhoodLIFT, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, Elevation Community Land Trust, and the Dearfield Fund do not apply to Pueblo purchases. Pueblo has its own ecosystem anchored by NeighborWorks Southern Colorado and Habitat for Humanity of Pueblo, plus statewide CHFA and CHAC programs.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?+

Most Pueblo and Pueblo County programs require first-time buyer status, defined as not owning a primary residence in the past three years. This includes the City of Pueblo HDAP, the Pueblo County DPA, CHAC, and Habitat for Humanity of Pueblo. CHFA programs have specific definitions that vary by program. NeighborWorks Southern Colorado does not require first-time buyer status for all of their programs — eligibility depends on the funding source they pair you with.

What homebuyer education is required?+

Most DPA programs require 8 hours of HUD-approved homebuyer education. NeighborWorks Southern Colorado at 719-544-8078 is the primary local provider, offering free classes in English and Spanish. There are at least two HUD-approved housing counseling agencies in Pueblo at 1241 E. Routt and 429 W. 10th Street. Online options through eHome America are also accepted by most programs for a $75 fee.

Can teachers, nurses, or first responders get extra help in Pueblo?+

Yes. Through the Teacher Next Door Program, Colorado teachers and school staff can access exclusive home buying grants of up to $9,000 plus additional DPA up to $24,000. The HUD Good Neighbor Next Door program provides 50% off the list price of HUD-listed homes in revitalization areas to law enforcement officers, pre-K through 12th grade teachers, firefighters, and EMTs. The Everyday Hero Housing Assistance Fund (EHHAF) and Homes for Heroes also provide closing cost assistance to nurses, doctors, teachers, police officers, and firefighters.