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Get Matched Free →CalHFA MyAccess Program
By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 21, 2026
About the CalHFA MyAccess Program
The CalHFA MyAccess Program is a deferred junior loan from the California Housing Finance Agency worth 2.5% of the CalPLUS Access first mortgage's total loan amount. Unlike the Zero Interest Program, MyAccess can pay the down payment, closing costs or both. It comes only with CalPLUS Access, a taxable-bond-financed FHA loan, or the CalPLUS Access Conventional loan added to CalHFA's January 2026 matrix, and always alongside MyHome.
MyAccess is capped by the CalHFA county income limits in Program Bulletin 2026-07, effective for reservations on or after June 30, 2026: $192,000 in Kern and Fresno counties, $214,000 in Los Angeles, $245,000 in Sacramento and $325,000 in Santa Clara. Every borrower must be a first-time buyer, with no ownership of a principal residence in the past three years, and must live in the home within 60 days. Credit starts at 640 for CalPLUS Access FHA through automated underwriting and 660 for manual files or manufactured homes; the conventional version needs 680. One first-time borrower completes eHome's eight-hour course or a HUD-approved class. The detail buyers miss is the third lien: MyAccess sits behind both the first mortgage and the required MyHome loan.
MyAccess payments are deferred for the life of the CalPLUS Access loan, but principal and interest are due on transfer of title, refinance or payoff of the first mortgage, or a recorded notice of default. CalHFA does not publish the MyAccess rate, and lenders may charge up to 250 dollars to process it. Against ZIP's 2% or 3% at 0% interest for closing costs only, MyAccess trades a smaller, interest-bearing loan for the freedom to put it toward the down payment.
How much assistance
Eligibility
- Income limits: CalHFA county limits for reservations on or after June 30, 2026, for example Los Angeles $214,000, San Diego $259,000, Sacramento $245,000, Fresno $192,000, Santa Clara $325,000.
- First-time buyer required: Yes — No ownership interest in a principal residence in the past 3 years.
- Credit score minimum: 640
- Geographic restrictions: Statewide California. Only with a CalPLUS Access FHA or CalPLUS Access Conventional first mortgage, which must also be combined with MyHome. Single-family one-unit homes, approved condos and PUDs, and manufactured homes. No non-occupant co-borrowers.
- Homebuyer education required: Yes
How to Apply for CalHFA MyAccess Program
Step 1: Ask for CalPLUS Access pricing by name
Not every loan officer leads with CalPLUS Access, so ask a CalHFA-approved lender to quote it beside standard CalHFA FHA and CalPLUS with ZIP. CalPLUS Access is funded by taxable bonds and carries a 30-year fixed rate slightly above standard CalHFA FHA. Have the lender show the MyAccess interest rate in writing, since CalHFA does not post it publicly.
Step 2: Match your income to the county chart
CalHFA's 2026 income chart, effective June 30, 2026, sets one ceiling per county: $192,000 in Kern, $214,000 in Los Angeles and $274,000 in Orange, for example. CalHFA tests only the income your lender uses to qualify the loan. Check the county where the home sits, not where you live now, because a move across a county line can change your limit.
Step 3: Earn your homebuyer education certificate
One first-time borrower who will live in the home must complete education and counseling. eHome's eight-hour online course costs 100 dollars and includes a one-hour session with a counselor; it is the only online option CalHFA accepts. NeighborWorks America affiliates and HUD-approved counseling agencies run live or virtual classes. The certificate is good for one year.
Step 4: Get pre-approved for all three loans
The pre-approval should list CalPLUS Access, MyHome at up to 3.5% of the price on FHA, and MyAccess at 2.5% of the total first mortgage. FHA files run through Desktop Underwriter or Loan Product Advisor on the FHA scorecard with a 640 middle score. Bring pay stubs, two months of bank statements, two years of tax returns and your work history.
Step 5: Shop for an eligible one-unit home
CalPLUS Access covers single-family homes, approved condos and PUDs, and homes with one ADU, guest house or in-law unit that zoning allows. Manufactured homes need a 660 score and a 45% maximum debt ratio, and singlewides are excluded. First-time buyers purchasing a resale home must add a one-year home warranty on the water heater, heating, air conditioning and range.
Step 6: Lock, reserve and close
Once your offer is accepted, the lender locks CalPLUS Access on that day's rate sheet and reserves MyHome and MyAccess with CalHFA. Because MyAccess is a percent of the total loan, it moves if the price or the financed FHA premium changes. Lakeview Loan Servicing services all three loans after closing. Buyers can call CalHFA at 877-922-5432 with questions.
Real Cost Example
Bakersfield's median value in our data is $371,700. With CalPLUS Access FHA, the 3.5% down payment is $13,010, leaving a base loan of $358,690. Adding FHA's 1.75% upfront premium brings the total loan to about $364,967, and MyAccess pays 2.5% of that, or roughly $9,124. The required MyHome loan covers 3.5% of the price, the full $13,010 down payment.
Estimated closing costs in Bakersfield run $7,500 to $11,000. MyAccess's $9,124 can go straight to those costs, leaving the buyer between $0 and $1,876 to bring, plus prepaid insurance and tax reserves. Because MyAccess may also pay the down payment, nothing goes unused at the low end of that range.
A Kern County buyer at or below 80% of area median income could also use FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant through a member lender. WISH matches savings 4 to 1, so a $1,000 deposit brings $4,000 more. MyHome, MyAccess and WISH together would put about $26,134 toward this Bakersfield home.
Combining With Other Programs
MyAccess always comes as part of a three-loan package. CalPLUS Access FHA must include MyHome, which pays up to 3.5% of the price, and MyAccess at 2.5% of the total first mortgage, so a buyer can receive about 6% in CalHFA assistance. Behind those liens, CalHFA permits FHA-approved seconds, such as city purchase assistance loans, and FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant of up to $32,837 in 2026 for households at or below 80% of area median income.
MyAccess cannot be paired with the Zero Interest Program, which belongs to the regular CalPLUS loans, or with California Dream For All, which requires its own conventional first mortgage. It cannot pay off debts or return cash. Combined loan-to-value is capped at 105% on CalPLUS Access FHA, which limits how many additional liens fit. Buyers can reach CalHFA at 877-922-5432, and lenders use Single Family Lending at 916-326-8033.
Seller concessions of up to 6% of the price on an FHA purchase can fill prepaid costs. A county Mortgage Credit Certificate, where one is offered, may also be layered for a yearly federal tax credit, though CalHFA does not count it as qualifying income.
Pros and Cons
MyAccess's main strength is flexibility. It is the only CalPLUS add-on loan that can pay the down payment, and together with MyHome it can reach about 6% of the price on an FHA purchase. That is enough in Bakersfield or Fresno to cover the whole 3.5% FHA down payment and most estimated closing costs. No payments are due for the life of the first mortgage, and the 2026 county income limits run from $192,000 to $325,000.
The biggest limitation is cost. MyAccess accrues interest at a rate CalHFA does not publish, the CalPLUS Access first mortgage is priced above standard CalHFA FHA, and the buyer carries three liens that all come due on a sale or refinance. The 2.5% amount is also smaller than ZIP's 3% option. Buyers who mainly need closing-cost help should price CalPLUS with ZIP first, and first-generation buyers should watch for the next California Dream For All round.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the CalHFA MyAccess loan?+−
Does MyAccess charge interest?+−
How much can I get from MyHome and MyAccess together?+−
What credit score does CalPLUS Access with MyAccess need?+−
Is MyAccess better than the Zero Interest Program for down payment help?+−
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Last verified October 21, 2026.