See programs you qualify for

Santa Ana My First Home Program

By Tyler Thompson · Licensed Real Estate Agent · Updated October 25, 2026

Administered by:

City of Santa Ana Housing Division

· City · Deferred Loan

Funding status: Active

About the Santa Ana My First Home Program

The Santa Ana My First Home Program is a 0% interest deferred loan of up to $120,000 from the City of Santa Ana Housing Division, paid from CDBG, CalHome and Inclusionary Housing funds. Buyers make no monthly payments, and the balance is due after 30 or 45 years or on sale. The money can pay the down payment, closing costs and part of the principal.

The city's June 2026 chart sets the 80% of area median income limit at $104,200 for one person, $148,850 for four and $196,500 for eight, and the city is currently taking applications only from households under that 80% line. Buyers need a 640 credit score, no bankruptcy in three years or foreclosure in seven, and no ownership of a principal residence in the past three years, with exceptions for displaced homemakers and single parents. Every buyer on title completes an 8-hour HUD-approved course, and the home must sit inside Santa Ana city limits and pass a city inspection. The rule that surprises people is the savings test: at least 3% of the price must come from the buyer's own funds held for 90 days, gifts cannot count toward it, and a household holding 20% of the price in liquid assets may be denied.

The loan is a silent second with no prepayment penalty. It comes due on sale, transfer, a move out, a cash-out refinance or the end of the 30- or 45-year term, and Inclusionary-funded loans add a 5% profit share on resale. Veterans and returning Santa Ana students can have up to $40,000 forgiven, $10,000 per five years. CalHFA's MyHome loan covers 3.5% of price at most.

How much assistance

Up to $120,000 at 0% interest (CalHome-funded loans capped at 40% of the price)

0% interest deferred silent second with no monthly payments and no prepayment penalty. Due in one lump sum at the end of a 30- or 45-year term (by funding source), or on sale, transfer, move-out or cash-out refinance. Inclusionary-funded loans owe a 5% profit share on resale. Veterans, active-duty personnel and returning Santa Ana students can have up to $40,000 forgiven, $10,000 per five years.

Eligibility

Income limits: At or below 80% of Orange County AMI (June 2026): $104,200 for 1 person, $119,100 for 2, $148,850 for 4, $196,500 for 8. The city is currently accepting only 80% AMI households.
First-time buyer required: Yes — No ownership interest in, or title to, a principal residence during the three years before applying. Displaced homemakers and single parents who owned with a spouse also qualify.
Credit score minimum: 640
Geographic restrictions: Home must be within Santa Ana's incorporated city limits. Preference for veterans and for applicants who live or work in Santa Ana.
Homebuyer education required: Yes

Free eligibility check

Check if you qualify for Santa Ana My First Home Program

Free
No credit check
Takes 2 minutes

Are you a first-time homebuyer?

Yes No Not sure

Question 1 of 6

housebuyerguides

How to Apply for Santa Ana My First Home Program

Step 1: Check income, credit and the address

Compare your household income with the city's June 2026 chart at santa-ana.gov/my-first-home, for example $119,100 for two people or $148,850 for four at 80% of area median income. The city is accepting only 80% households right now. Confirm a 640 credit score and that the home you want is inside Santa Ana city limits, since a Santa Ana mailing address alone does not settle eligibility.

Step 2: Take the 8-hour homebuyer course

Every person going on title needs a HUD-approved 8-hour certificate dated within the past 12 months. The city lists four local providers: Homeownership OC at (714) 204-2314 offers it free in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic, and Orange County Community Housing Corporation runs a free virtual class. NeighborWorks Orange County at (714) 408-9333 and Affordable Housing Clearinghouse charge a fee.

Step 3: Line up a lender and your seasoned funds

The city has no lender list and works with any lender that meets its rules: a fixed-rate first mortgage with no balloon, no negative amortization and no non-occupant co-signer. Get pre-approved for the largest first mortgage you can afford. Keep at least 3% of the planned price in your own accounts for 90 days, because gift money cannot count toward that 3%.

Step 4: Make an offer and open escrow

Shop for a single-unit home, condo or townhome with your agent. The FAQ rules out duplexes, triplexes, homes with extra living units and mobile homes, and the home cannot be bought from a family member. The city takes your application at the opening of escrow, not before, and it does not issue pre-approvals, so build the review time into your contract dates.

Step 5: Submit the full application packet

Download the application, zero-income certification, self-employed income report and CDBG intake form from the Application and Documents page at santa-ana.gov. Self-employed household members report three months of income. Submit everything to the Housing Division at once, with the lender approval letter and purchase contract, because missing documents slow first-come, first-served review. Questions go to the Housing Division at (714) 667-2267.

Step 6: Pass inspection, sign and close

Once you meet every other rule, city staff inspect the home for lead-based paint hazards and building, health and safety code problems, and the seller gets a chance to make repairs. A home that fails cannot use the program. The city then reserves funds, notifies you and your agent, and prepares loan documents for signing and recording. The city says the process takes 30 to 45 days with a complete file.

Real Cost Example

Take a $600,000 three-bedroom condo in Santa Ana, below the $713,000 Census median owner value. The buyer must bring at least 3% from seasoned savings, or $18,000. A $120,000 My First Home loan covers another 20% of the price, so the fixed-rate first mortgage drops to $462,000, a 77% loan-to-value ratio. On a conventional first mortgage below 80% of value, that buyer would normally avoid private mortgage insurance.

Estimated closing costs in Santa Ana run about $14,500 to $21,500 at the median price, or roughly $12,000 to $18,000 on this condo. The city guide lets loan funds pay closing costs up to 5% of the price, so part of the $120,000 can go there instead of to principal. Gift funds of up to 3%, or $18,000 here, can also help on top of the buyer's own savings.

A buyer at or below 80% of area median income could also ask a member bank about FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant, a 4-to-1 match of up to $32,837 in 2026. If the lender confirms the city's second-lien position and no cash goes back to the buyer, the combined help would reach $152,837 on a $600,000 purchase, about 25% of the price.

Combining With Other Programs

Santa Ana's guide allows assistance from other sources when three conditions hold: total assistance does not exceed the price, the city loan takes second position, and no assistance reaches the buyer as cash. FHLBank San Francisco's WISH grant, up to $32,837 in 2026 for first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income, is the most direct fit because it is a grant rather than a lien. Fannie Mae HomeReady and Freddie Mac Home Possible both offer fixed-rate first mortgages with 3% minimum down.

CalHFA's MyHome loan and California Dream For All both need their own junior lien position, which collides with the city's second-place rule, so ask your lender and the Housing Division before pairing them. The city's loan cannot be used on an Inclusionary home sold through Santa Ana's Affordable Housing Opportunity and Creation Ordinance. A buyer who already received CDBG homebuyer help for the same purchase is also ineligible. Call the Housing Division at (714) 667-2267 to confirm a combination.

Seller credits for closing costs work within the first mortgage's limits, and a rate buydown is allowed, though the FAQ says it adds processing time. CalHome-funded borrowers are reimbursed up to $250 for the homebuyer course at closing. A larger loan from the city also shrinks the first mortgage, which lowers the monthly payment more than a grant of the same size would.

Pros and Cons

The size of the loan is the main draw: up to $120,000 at 0% interest with no monthly payment, about 17% of Santa Ana's $713,000 median owner value, against 3.5% of price for CalHFA's MyHome. Because the money can reduce principal, a buyer with 3% down can end up below 80% loan-to-value. Veterans, active-duty personnel and returning Santa Ana students can have up to $40,000 forgiven over 20 years. A rate-and-term refinance does not trigger repayment.

The biggest limitation is the income ceiling: only households at or below 80% of area median income, $148,850 for four, can apply right now, and they still need enough income for a 28% to 40% housing ratio in a high-cost city. Buyers must hold 3% in seasoned funds of their own, cannot use a co-signer, and must buy inside city limits. The full balance is due on sale or cash-out refinance, and Inclusionary-funded loans take a 5% profit share. Buyers over the limit can compare CalHFA MyHome or WISH.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Santa Ana My First Home loan?+

Up to $120,000. The city's 2026 program guide sets CDBG and 80% Inclusionary loans at $120,000, while CalHome-funded loans are capped at the lesser of $120,000 or 40% of the price. A separate Inclusionary tier for households up to 120% of area median income pays $80,000, but the city's page says it is accepting only 80% households right now. The money can cover down payment, closing costs up to 5% of the price, and a principal reduction.

Do I have to repay the Santa Ana My First Home loan?+

Yes, in most cases. The loan carries 0% interest and no monthly payments. The full balance is due as one lump sum at the end of its 30- or 45-year term, or earlier if you sell, transfer the home, stop living there or take cash out in a refinance. Inclusionary-funded loans also owe the city 5% of any gain on resale. Veterans and returning Santa Ana students can have up to $40,000 forgiven, $10,000 per five years.

What are the income limits for Santa Ana My First Home?+

$148,850 for a household of four. That is the city's 80% of area median income figure, effective June 2026, and it ranges from $104,200 for one person to $196,500 for eight. The page also shows a 120% column, $166,300 for four, but says applications are currently accepted only from 80% households. Income limits follow HUD for CDBG loans and California HCD for CalHome and Inclusionary loans, and all adult household income is reviewed.

Can I use My First Home for a condo in Santa Ana?+

Yes. The city's FAQ says condominiums are eligible, and the guide also accepts stick-built, modular and permanently affixed manufactured homes, though mobile homes are not allowed. Duplexes, triplexes and homes with extra living units are excluded, as are condotels and homes without a certificate of occupancy. The home must be inside Santa Ana's incorporated boundaries, be your primary residence, and pass the city's lead-paint and health and safety inspection before funds are reserved.

How long does Santa Ana My First Home approval take?+

30 to 45 days. The Housing Division gives that range for a file submitted with every required document, and applications are reviewed first come, first served. You apply at the opening of escrow, after your lender pre-approves the first mortgage, and the city does not offer its own pre-approval. The inspection starts only after you meet all other rules, so set contract deadlines that leave room for repairs, document signing and recording.

Free eligibility check

See every program you may qualify for