See programs you qualify for
Get Matched Free →By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated April 16, 2026
Homebuyer Programs in Highland Park, IL (2026)
Highland Park is an affluent Lake County suburb of about 30,000 on Chicago's North Shore, with a median home price near $780,000 that makes stacked assistance critical for first-time buyers. Highland Park operates one of the most comprehensive affordable housing strategies in Illinois: its Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requires developers of 5+ unit projects to set aside 20% of units as affordable, and Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH), founded in Highland Park in 2003 as the Highland Park Illinois Community Land Trust, offers permanently affordable homes through its Community Land Trust program. Highland Park residents also qualify for up to $13,999 from the Lake County CPAH Down Payment Assistance Program, up to $15,000 from IHDA Access Home, and up to $10,000 from FHLBank Chicago Downpayment Plus. Combined with FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional low-down-payment options, Highland Park buyers have multiple pathways to homeownership.
City Programs in Highland Park
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Park Inclusionary Housing Program | Silent Second Mortgage | Below-market-price homes set aside in new developments (20% of units in projects of 5+ units) | No | View → |
- Type:
- Silent Second Mortgage
- Amount:
- Below-market-price homes set aside in new developments (20% of units in projects of 5+ units)
- First-time only:
- No
County Programs in Lake County
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County Down Payment Assistance Program (CPAH) | Deferred Loan | Up to $13,999 | Yes | View → |
| Lake County Housing Authority HUD Homebuyer Counseling | Grant | Free HUD-approved homebuyer education and pre-purchase counseling | No | View → |
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $13,999
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Free HUD-approved homebuyer education and pre-purchase counseling
- First-time only:
- No
State Programs in Illinois
| Program Name | Type | Amount | First-Time Only | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FHLBank Chicago Downpayment Plus (DPP) | Grant | Up to ,000 | No | View → |
| IHDA Access Deferred | Deferred Loan | 5% of purchase price up to ,500 | Yes | View → |
| IHDA Access Forgivable | Forgivable Loan | 4% of purchase price up to ,000 | Yes | View → |
| IHDA Access Repayable | Zero-Interest Loan | 10% of purchase price up to ,000 | Yes | View → |
| IHDA Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) | Tax Credit | Federal tax credit: 25% of annual mortgage interest (capped at ,000/year) | Yes | View → |
| IHDA SmartBuy | Forgivable Loan | ,000 DPA plus up to ,000 toward student loan payoff | Yes | View → |
| IHDAccess Home | Deferred Loan | Up to ,000 (6% of purchase price) | Yes | View → |
| Opening Doors / Abriendo Puertas | Forgivable Loan | Up to ,000 | Yes | View → |
- Type:
- Grant
- Amount:
- Up to ,000
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- 5% of purchase price up to ,500
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- 4% of purchase price up to ,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- 10% of purchase price up to ,000
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Tax Credit
- Amount:
- Federal tax credit: 25% of annual mortgage interest (capped at ,000/year)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- ,000 DPA plus up to ,000 toward student loan payoff
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Deferred Loan
- Amount:
- Up to ,000 (6% of purchase price)
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to ,000
- 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 → |
| FHLBA Community Partners Product | Forgivable Loan | Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | No | View → |
| FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product | Forgivable Loan | Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | Yes | View → |
| FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+ | Forgivable Loan | Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs | 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 → |
- 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
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- Yes
- Type:
- Forgivable Loan
- Amount:
- Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Government Property Sale Program
- Amount:
- 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
- First-time only:
- Yes
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Type:
- Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
- Amount:
- 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
- First-time only:
- No
- 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 Highland Park Community Land Trust | Silent Second Mortgage | Permanently affordable home purchase (below-market price; land leased at low monthly ground rent) | No | View → |
| Habitat for Humanity Lake County Homeownership Program | Zero-Interest Loan | Affordable home with 0% interest mortgage (no down payment required) | No | View → |
- Type:
- Silent Second Mortgage
- Amount:
- Permanently affordable home purchase (below-market price; land leased at low monthly ground rent)
- First-time only:
- No
- Type:
- Zero-Interest Loan
- Amount:
- Affordable home with 0% interest mortgage (no down payment required)
- First-time only:
- No
How to Apply
Check your eligibility. Highland Park's inclusionary and CLT programs target households at 80-120% of Area Median Income. Lake County DPA requires household income at or below 80% AMI. IHDA programs require a minimum credit score of 640 and first-time buyer status.
Contact Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) at 847-263-7478 (ext. 15 for Community Land Trust/Inclusionary). CPAH administers both the CLT and Inclusionary Housing programs in Highland Park and maintains the interest list for new units.
Complete homebuyer education. CPAH requires homebuyer education for its programs. The Lake County Housing Authority also offers free HUD-certified counseling at 847-223-1170 (HUD Agency #80113).
Get pre-approved with an IHDA-approved lender if you are pursuing IHDA Access Home or CPAH DPA. IHDA works with more than 160 participating lenders.
Apply for the Lake County DPA through CPAH if you are pursuing a market-rate home outside the CLT or inclusionary pool.
Find a home. For CLT and inclusionary buyers, CPAH will match you with available units. For market-rate buyers, confirm IHDA purchase price limits before writing an offer.
Close on your home. CLT homes are sold with a 99-year renewable ground lease; inclusionary homes are subject to resale restrictions designed to maintain affordability for future buyers.