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Get Matched Free →CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program
By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 21, 2026
About the CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program
The CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program is a deferred-payment junior loan from the California Housing Finance Agency for first-time buyers anywhere in the state. It covers up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value with a CalHFA FHA first mortgage, or up to 3% with CalHFA conventional, VA and USDA loans. MyHome is the base layer of almost every CalHFA purchase, sitting in second lien position behind the first mortgage.
MyHome follows CalHFA county income limits, effective for reservations on or after June 30, 2026: Los Angeles County is $214,000, San Diego $259,000, Sacramento $245,000, Fresno and Kern $192,000, and Santa Clara and San Francisco $325,000. The limit counts only the income the lender uses to qualify, not every household member. Every borrower must be a first-time buyer, meaning no ownership interest in a principal residence, and no living in a home owned by a spouse, in the past three years. Credit minimums come from the first mortgage: 640 for CalHFA FHA, VA and USDA, and 680 for CalHFA Conventional. Non-occupant co-borrowers are not allowed, and all borrowers must move in within 60 days of closing. The stricter rule is homebuyer education: one first-time borrower needs a certificate from eHome's eight-hour course (100 dollars) or a HUD-approved agency.
MyHome charges simple interest, has no monthly payment, and is not forgivable. The full balance plus interest is due on sale, transfer of title, refinance or payoff of the first mortgage, or a recorded notice of default. Lenders may charge a processing fee of at most 250 dollars on it. Compared with the Dream For All shared appreciation loan, which reaches 20% but cannot be combined with MyHome, MyHome is smaller but open year-round and first-come.
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, including a home owned by a spouse.
- Credit score minimum: 640
- Geographic restrictions: Statewide California. Primary residence only. Must be paired with a CalHFA first mortgage from a CalHFA-approved lender.
- Homebuyer education required: Yes
How to Apply for CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program
Step 1: Check the county income limit
Open the 2026 CalHFA income limits chart from calhfa.ca.gov/homebuyer/programs/myhome.htm and find the county where the home will be. The chart effective June 30, 2026 lists one limit per county regardless of household size, such as $214,000 in Los Angeles County and $192,000 in Fresno County. CalHFA compares it with the income your lender uses to qualify you, so a non-borrowing roommate's pay does not count.
Step 2: Finish the eight-hour education course
One occupying first-time borrower must complete homebuyer education and counseling before closing. CalHFA accepts only eHome's online eight-hour course, which costs 100 dollars and includes a one-hour one-on-one counseling follow-up, or a live class from NeighborWorks America or a HUD-approved counseling agency. Frameworks and HomeView certificates are rejected. The certificate stays valid for one year from completion.
Step 3: Find a CalHFA-approved loan officer
CalHFA does not lend directly, so MyHome is only available through a CalHFA-approved lender. Use the Find a Loan Officer search on calhfa.ca.gov, or have a mortgage broker submit through a CalHFA-approved wholesale lender. Ask each lender which first mortgage it recommends, since MyHome pays 3.5% with CalHFA FHA or CalPLUS FHA and 3% with conventional, VA or USDA.
Step 4: Get pre-approved on the first mortgage
The lender underwrites the CalHFA first mortgage and MyHome together through Desktop Underwriter or Loan Product Advisor. Bring pay stubs, bank statements, two years of tax returns and your employment history. FHA files need a 640 middle score, or 660 for manual underwriting or a manufactured home. Debt-to-income generally tops out at 45% to 50% depending on score.
Step 5: Choose an eligible home and offer
MyHome finances single-family one-unit homes, approved condominiums and PUDs, and homes with one ADU or granny unit. Manufactured homes qualify with FHA and conventional loans, but not singlewides and not with CalHFA VA. Combined loan-to-value cannot exceed 105%. First-time buyers on a resale home must buy a one-year home warranty covering the water heater, heating, air conditioning and range.
Step 6: Lender reserves funds and you close
Once you are in contract, the lender locks the first mortgage and reserves MyHome through CalHFA's system, which also fixes which year's income limits apply. Lakeview Loan Servicing buys and services the loan after closing. The home warranty must appear on the final Closing Disclosure. Lender questions go to CalHFA Single Family Lending at 916-326-8033; buyers can call 877-922-5432.
Real Cost Example
On a $374,800 home in Fresno, the city's median value in our data, a CalHFA FHA first mortgage needs 3.5% down, or $13,118. MyHome pays up to 3.5% of the price with CalHFA FHA, so it can cover that entire $13,118 as a deferred junior loan. The buyer finances $361,682 on the first mortgage and owes nothing on MyHome until the home is sold, refinanced or paid off.
Estimated closing costs in Fresno run $7,500 to $11,000. FHA lets the seller pay up to 6% of the price, or $22,488 here, toward those costs. A buyer who negotiates a 2% seller credit of $7,496 would need roughly $0 to $3,504 of their own cash plus prepaid taxes and insurance.
A buyer at or below 80% of area median income could add FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant through a member bank. WISH matches savings 4 to 1, so a $2,500 deposit draws $10,000, and the grant is kept after five years of ownership. MyHome plus WISH would put $23,118 toward this Fresno purchase.
Combining With Other Programs
MyHome is built to layer. It must sit in second position behind a CalHFA first mortgage, and CalHFA explicitly allows other down payment or closing cost loans and grants behind it. The common stacks are CalPLUS FHA with MyHome plus the 2% or 3% Zero Interest Program for closing costs, or CalPLUS Access FHA with MyHome plus the 2.5% MyAccess loan. City programs such as Los Angeles LIPA and MIPA, and FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant of up to $32,837 in 2026, can also sit behind it.
MyHome cannot be combined with the California Dream For All shared appreciation loan; buyers selected for Dream For All use it instead of MyHome. MyHome also requires a CalHFA first mortgage, so it does not work with an outside FHA or conventional loan. Total combined loan-to-value stays at or below 105%. Lender questions go to CalHFA Single Family Lending at 916-326-8033, and buyers can call 877-922-5432.
Seller credits are the other main lever, up to 6% of the price on an FHA purchase, and CalHFA caps lender fees at the greater of 3% of the loan or 3,000 dollars. A Mortgage Credit Certificate, where a county still issues one, can also be layered for a yearly federal tax credit.
Pros and Cons
MyHome's biggest advantage is reach: it works in all 58 counties, year-round, with no lottery and no purchase price cap beyond the first mortgage's loan limit. At 3.5% with FHA it can cover the whole FHA down payment, and the county income limits are high, at $214,000 in Los Angeles County and $325,000 in Santa Clara. Nothing is due monthly, and it stacks with ZIP, MyAccess, WISH and many city loans, which few state programs allow.
The biggest limitation is that MyHome is not forgivable. Simple interest accrues for up to 30 years, and the full balance comes due when the buyer sells or refinances, which matters for anyone planning a rate-drop refinance. It also requires a CalHFA first mortgage from a CalHFA-approved lender, plus an eight-hour class and a one-year home warranty on resale homes. Buyers who win a Dream For All voucher, or who qualify for a city loan like Los Angeles LIPA, may get far more help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CalHFA MyHome loan forgiven?+−
How much is CalHFA MyHome assistance?+−
What is the CalHFA income limit for MyHome in Los Angeles County?+−
Can I use MyHome if I owned a home before?+−
Can MyHome be combined with Dream For All?+−
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Last verified October 21, 2026.