See programs you qualify for

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 15, 2026

Homebuyer Programs in Evanston, IL (2026)

Population: 76,552 | Median home price: $465,000 | Est. closing costs: $9,500 - $14,000

Evanston is a Lake Michigan suburb just north of Chicago, home to Northwestern University and one of the priciest housing markets in Cook County with a median home value around $465,000. Evanston stands out nationally as the first U.S. city to fund reparations: the Evanston Restorative Housing Program offers up to $25,000 for qualifying Black residents (ancestors living in Evanston 1919-1969 and their direct descendants, or those harmed by post-1969 discrimination) toward down payment, mortgage, or home improvement. The City of Evanston itself does not run a general down payment assistance program, so other buyers rely on the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program (5% up to $25,000 when funded) and statewide IHDA programs including IHDAccess Home (up to $15,000). Community Partners for Affordable Housing operates an Evanston Community Land Trust that sells permanently affordable homes to households up to 120% AMI. Stacked together, qualifying buyers can access $15,000 to $50,000 in combined assistance depending on eligibility and program availability.

City Programs in Evanston

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Evanston Restorative Housing Program (Reparations)	Grant	Up to $25,000	No	View →

Evanston Restorative Housing Program (Reparations)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $25,000
First-time only:: No

County Programs in Cook County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program	Forgivable Loan	—	No	View →

Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
First-time only:: No

State Programs in Illinois

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
FHLBank Chicago Downpayment Plus (DPP)	Grant	Up to $10,000 forgivable grant (lesser of $10,000 or 25% of the first mortgage amount)	No	View →
IHDA Access Deferred	Deferred Loan	—	Yes	View →
IHDA Access Forgivable	Forgivable Loan	—	Yes	View →
IHDA Access Repayable	Zero-Interest Loan	—	Yes	View →
IHDA Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)	Tax Credit	—	Yes	View →
IHDA SmartBuy	Forgivable Loan	—	Yes	View →
IHDAccess Home	Deferred Loan	—	Yes	View →
Opening Doors / Abriendo Puertas	Forgivable Loan	—	Yes	View →

FHLBank Chicago Downpayment Plus (DPP)

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Up to $10,000 forgivable grant (lesser of $10,000 or 25% of the first mortgage amount)
First-time only:: No

IHDA Access Deferred

Type:: Deferred Loan
First-time only:: Yes

IHDA Access Forgivable

Type:: Forgivable Loan
First-time only:: Yes

IHDA Access Repayable

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
First-time only:: Yes

IHDA Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC)

Type:: Tax Credit
First-time only:: Yes

IHDA SmartBuy

Type:: Forgivable Loan
First-time only:: Yes

IHDAccess Home

Type:: Deferred Loan
First-time only:: Yes

Opening Doors / Abriendo Puertas

Type:: Forgivable Loan
First-time only:: Yes

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
CPAH Evanston Community Land Trust	Zero-Interest Loan	Permanently affordable home purchase (below-market price; land leased at ~$25/month)	No	View →
Habitat for Humanity Chicago	Zero-Interest Loan	Below-market home with 0% interest mortgage	Yes	View →

CPAH Evanston Community Land Trust

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Permanently affordable home purchase (below-market price; land leased at ~$25/month)
First-time only:: No

Habitat for Humanity Chicago

Type:: Zero-Interest Loan
Amount:: Below-market home with 0% interest mortgage
First-time only:: Yes

Free eligibility check

19 programs available in Evanston. See which ones you qualify for.

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How to Apply

Step 1: Check your eligibility. The Evanston Restorative Housing Program is limited to qualifying Black residents (ancestors or direct descendants from 1919-1969, or those who experienced housing discrimination after 1969). Cook County DPA allows up to 120% AMI (about $143,880 for a family of four). IHDAccess Home in Cook County is available to first-time buyers earning up to roughly $137,885 depending on household size.

Step 2: Complete HUD-approved homebuyer education. Any HUD-approved counseling agency certificate qualifies for Cook County DPA and IHDA. Open Communities and the West Cook Homeownership Center serve the North Shore area.

Step 3: If you qualify, apply for the Evanston Restorative Housing Program through the City of Evanston Reparations Committee. Applications open in defined cycles — check cityofevanston.org for the current round and required ancestry documentation.

Step 4: For standard DPA, check Cook County DPA funding status at cookcountyil.gov. The program has periodically run out of funds; confirm availability before planning around it.

Step 5: Get pre-approved with an IHDA-participating lender. IHDA has more than 160 approved lenders statewide. Your lender will determine which IHDA product fits best and whether it can layer with Cook County DPA or CPAH Community Land Trust pricing.

Step 6: Consider CPAH Community Land Trust listings. CPAH sells permanently affordable homes in Evanston to households at or below 120% AMI. The homeowner owns the building; CPAH owns the land and leases it for roughly $25/month. Contact CPAH at cpahousing.org to see current inventory.

Step 7: Submit your combined application, close, and occupy. Evanston's high home prices mean layering multiple programs is often necessary. IHDA forgivable assistance is forgiven over 10 years; IHDAccess Home is a deferred second with repayment triggered only on sale, refinance, or after 30 years. Keep the home as your primary residence.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Qualifying buyers can stack the Evanston Restorative Housing Program (up to $25,000 for eligible Black residents) with the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program (5% up to $25,000 when open) and IHDAccess Home (up to $15,000). Combined stacked assistance can reach $50,000 or more, though the reparations funds are restricted to ancestry-qualified applicants. Non-qualifying buyers typically access $15,000 to $40,000 through Cook County and IHDA programs.

Who qualifies for the Evanston Restorative Housing Program?+

The program is limited to Black Evanston residents who qualify as ancestors (lived in Evanston between 1919 and 1969) or their direct descendants, and those who experienced housing discrimination due to city policies or practices after 1969. Applicants must be at least 18 and of African-American ancestry. Funds of up to $25,000 can be used for mortgage assistance, home purchase, or home improvement.

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

The Evanston Restorative Housing Program does not require first-time buyer status. Cook County DPA and most IHDA products do require first-time buyer status (no homeownership in the past three years). Exceptions exist for federally designated target areas.

What is the maximum home price in Evanston?+

IHDA sets statewide purchase price limits that update annually — your lender can confirm current caps. Cook County DPA has its own price limits when the program is active. With Evanston's median home price around $465,000, many higher-end homes will exceed IHDA caps. The CPAH Community Land Trust is often the best fit for Evanston buyers near the income cap, since CLT pricing is set at permanently affordable levels below market.

What is the CPAH Community Land Trust and how does it work?+

Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) operates an Evanston Community Land Trust in partnership with the City of Evanston and Evanston Township High School's Geometry in Construction program. CPAH retains ownership of the land and sells the building to a qualifying household at or below 120% AMI at a permanently affordable price. The homeowner pays roughly $25/month to lease the land from CPAH. This keeps the home affordable for future buyers as well.

Does the City of Evanston offer a general down payment assistance program?+

No. The City of Evanston does not currently operate a general DPA program open to all buyers. The Restorative Housing Program is the city-funded option and is limited to ancestry-qualified Black residents. Other Evanston buyers rely on Cook County DPA, IHDA programs, and CPAH's Community Land Trust.