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My Anaheim Home First-Time Homebuyer Program

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 24, 2026

Administered by:

City of Anaheim Housing and Community Development

· City · Deferred Loan

Funding status: Waitlist

About the My Anaheim Home First-Time Homebuyer Program

My Anaheim Home is a 50,000 dollar down payment loan from the City of Anaheim's Housing and Community Development department. It carries 1% simple interest and no monthly payments for 30 years, so a buyer adds it on top of their own down payment instead of borrowing more on the first mortgage. It is one of the few city-run purchase loans in Orange County, and the city reviews applicants from an interest list in the order they sign up.

To qualify, household income must fall under the FY2026 limits the city publishes from California HCD at 150% of area median income: $145,500 for one person, $187,100 for three, $207,900 for four and $274,400 for eight. Nobody in the household can have owned a home in the past three years, and the buyer must live in the home. The property must sit inside Anaheim city limits, and homes in unincorporated pockets with an Anaheim mailing address do not count. Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, new or existing, are eligible. The price cannot exceed the average purchase price in Anaheim, a figure the flyer does not print, so ask the city before writing an offer. One rule surprises people: the buyer must put in at least 3% of the price, and no more than 5% of the down payment can be gift money from family.

The loan is not forgiven. Interest of 1% a year builds on the 50,000 dollars, about $15,000 over the full term, and the balance comes due at maturity. Total down payment assistance can reach 20% of the price. Compared with CalHFA's MyHome Assistance Program at 3% or 3.5% of the price, the city loan is larger on homes under about $1.4 million, and the two can sit together.

How much assistance

$50,000 down payment loan

Not forgiven. 1% simple interest, 30-year term, payments deferred until maturity with no monthly payments.

Eligibility

Income limits: FY2026 HCD 150% AMI (moderate income, high-cost area), per the city flyer: $145,500 (1 person), $166,350 (2), $187,100 (3), $207,900 (4), $224,550 (5), $241,200 (6), $257,750 (7), $274,400 (8).
First-time buyer required: Yes — No one in the household has owned a home in the past three years.
Geographic restrictions: Within the City of Anaheim; unincorporated Anaheim areas are not eligible. Priority for people who lived or worked in Anaheim the past 12 months. Buyer contributes at least 3%.
Homebuyer education required: Yes

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Up to $50,000 in assistance. Check if you qualify for My Anaheim Home First-Time Homebuyer Program.

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How to Apply for My Anaheim Home First-Time Homebuyer Program

Step 1: Check income and the city boundary

Compare your household's gross income with the FY2026 chart on the city's My Anaheim Home flyer, which runs from $145,500 for one person to $274,400 for eight. Then confirm the homes you want are inside Anaheim city limits; unincorporated areas are excluded even when the mailing address says Anaheim. Living or working in Anaheim for the past 12 months earns priority on the list.

Step 2: Join the interest list online

Complete the pre-application screening at anaheim.gov/6743, which links to the city's housing portal at housingportal.anaheim.net/Fthb. Submitting adds your household to the interest list but does not reserve funds. Applications are reviewed in the order they arrive, and the city says it removes anyone whose statements turn out to be false, so report income and past ownership accurately.

Step 3: Take an in-person HUD-approved seminar

The flyer requires a homebuyer seminar delivered in person by a HUD-approved counseling agency, so an online-only course will not count. Choose an agency on HUD's counselor list at hud.gov that serves Orange County. If you also plan to use CalHFA's MyHome loan, the same HUD-approved class can meet CalHFA's education rule, which saves a second course fee.

Step 4: Set aside your 3% contribution

The buyer must put in at least 3% of the purchase price from their own funds, which is $18,000 on a $600,000 condo. Family gifts can supply no more than 5% of the total down payment. Keep two months of bank statements showing the money, because the city verifies every figure before it moves an applicant from the list into a full application.

Step 5: Get pre-approved with a first mortgage lender

When the city contacts you, it asks for a detailed application and supporting documents. Line up a first mortgage lender who will accept a city second loan, and ask the city for the current maximum purchase price, since the flyer ties it to Anaheim's average sale price. If you add CalHFA MyHome, use a CalHFA-approved lender.

Step 6: Close after city approval

The city must approve the home, the price and the household before closing, and the 50,000 dollar loan funds at escrow behind the first mortgage. Questions go to Housing and Community Development at 714-765-4300 ext. 4810 or residentialloans@anaheim.net, 201 S. Anaheim Boulevard, Suite 1003, open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Build in time for city review.

Real Cost Example

On a $600,000 Anaheim townhome, the buyer must bring at least 3% of the price, or $18,000. My Anaheim Home adds $50,000 toward the down payment, so the total down payment is $68,000, about 11.3% of the price. The first mortgage drops to $532,000. Because the city loan charges no monthly payment for 30 years, the buyer's monthly housing cost is set by that $532,000 first loan, taxes and insurance.

Estimated closing costs on a $600,000 purchase in Anaheim run $12,000 to $18,000, using the same 2% to 3% range our Anaheim figures apply to the $831,200 median. At the midpoint of $15,000, the buyer needs $33,000 in cash: the $18,000 contribution plus closing costs. A seller credit toward closing costs can lower that total if the first mortgage allows it.

A buyer who also takes CalHFA's MyHome Assistance Program with a CalHFA conventional first loan can receive 3% of the price, $18,000, as a deferred junior loan for closing costs. That covers the $15,000 estimate, leaving cash needed near the $18,000 contribution. Combined city and state help reaches $68,000, inside the program's 20% cap of $120,000.

Combining With Other Programs

CalHFA's MyHome handbook, revised October 19, 2026, lets buyers layer other down payment loans or grants, provided MyHome stays in second lien position. MyHome pays 3.5% of the price with CalHFA FHA or 3% with CalHFA conventional, up to an Orange County income limit of $274,000. FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant matches savings 4 to 1, up to $32,837 in 2026, for households under 80% of area median income.

The city's 3% minimum must come from the buyer's own funds, so assistance cannot replace it. Total down payment assistance is capped at 20% of the price. Gifts from family can cover only 5% of the down payment. Ask Housing and Community Development at 714-765-4300 ext. 4810 how the city loan sits behind MyHome before choosing a lender.

A seller credit toward closing costs can lower cash to close, within the limit the first mortgage allows. VA borrowers with full entitlement put nothing down. Fannie Mae HomeReady and Freddie Mac Home Possible need 3% down from borrowers under 80% of AMI, which already matches the city's minimum.

Pros and Cons

The 50,000 dollar amount is the main advantage, larger than CalHFA's MyHome on any home under about $1.4 million. There are no monthly payments for 30 years, and simple interest of 1% means the balance grows by only $500 a year. Condos and townhomes qualify, which matters where the citywide median is $831,200. Income limits are generous at 150% of AMI, $207,900 for a family of four in FY2026, so many dual-income households in Orange County qualify.

The biggest limitation is timing: applicants join an interest list and wait to be contacted in order, with no posted funding date. The loan is not forgiven, so about $65,000 including interest is owed at maturity. The maximum price is tied to Anaheim's average sale price and is not published on the flyer. Buyers need their own 3% and an in-person seminar. Homes in unincorporated areas are excluded. Alternatives include CalHFA MyHome, the WISH grant and VA loans.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the My Anaheim Home down payment loan?+

50,000 dollars, used only for the down payment. The loan charges 1% simple interest and requires no monthly payments for its 30-year term, with the balance due at maturity. The buyer still puts in at least 3% of the price from their own funds, and total down payment assistance from all sources can reach 20% of the purchase price. Family gifts can supply no more than 5% of the down payment under the city's FY2026 flyer.

What are the income limits for the Anaheim first-time homebuyer program?+

$145,500 for one person up to $274,400 for eight, under the FY2026 chart. These are California HCD's 150% of area median income figures for Orange County, which the city calls moderate income in a high-cost area. A two-person household can earn up to $166,350, three people $187,100, four people $207,900, five people $224,550 and six people $241,200. HCD updates the figures every year, so check the newest flyer before you apply.

Do I have to be a first-time buyer for My Anaheim Home?+

Yes. The city requires that no one in the household has owned a home in the past three years, which means someone who sold a home more than three years ago can still apply. The buyer must also live in the home as their primary residence. Applicants who have lived or worked in Anaheim for the past 12 months receive priority on the interest list, though it is not a requirement to apply.

Can I use My Anaheim Home with CalHFA MyHome?+

Yes, as far as CalHFA is concerned. CalHFA's handbook, revised October 19, 2026, lets buyers layer other assistance as long as MyHome stays in second lien position, which places the city loan behind it. MyHome adds 3% or 3.5% of the price. The city flyer does not address lien order, so confirm the arrangement with Housing and Community Development at 714-765-4300 ext. 4810 before you lock a CalHFA loan.

Are homes with an Anaheim address outside city limits eligible?+

No. The home must be inside Anaheim city limits, and the city's program page says unincorporated Anaheim areas are ineligible even when the mailing address reads Anaheim. Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums, new or existing, all qualify, and the price cannot exceed the average home purchase price in Anaheim. Check the parcel with the city before writing an offer, because a home just outside the line loses the 50,000 dollars.

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