How much down payment assistance can I get in Vancouver, WA?

Qualifying buyers can stack multiple programs. The Clark County Down Payment Assistance Program provides up to $60,000 as a deferred 2% simple interest second mortgage. The WSHFC Home Advantage DPA provides up to 5% of the first mortgage amount, and HomeChoice or Opportunity DPA each provide up to $15,000 for eligible buyers. Evergreen Habitat for Humanity offers a 4.5% mortgage rate plus land lease under its community land trust, and Proud Ground provides permanently affordable home purchases. Most buyers receive between $15,000 and $60,000+ in combined assistance depending on which programs they qualify for.

Do I have to be a first-time homebuyer?

Yes for most local programs. The Clark County DPA, Evergreen Habitat, Proud Ground, HomeChoice, and Opportunity DPA all require that you have not owned a home in the past three years. The Covenant Homeownership Program and the Home Advantage first mortgage do not strictly require first-time buyer status.

What is the maximum home price for assistance programs in Vancouver?

The Clark County Down Payment Assistance Program caps the purchase price at $600,000. WSHFC program purchase price limits vary by county and are published on the WSHFC website. Evergreen Habitat and Proud Ground set their own affordability caps tied to their community land trust properties, which are generally priced well below market.

What homebuyer education is required?

The Washington State Housing Finance Commission requires a free Homebuyer Education Seminar (available online or in person) for all WSHFC mortgage and DPA programs. The Clark County DPA additionally requires one-on-one pre-purchase counseling just before closing and post-purchase counseling after you move in.

Is the Clark County DPA still accepting applications?

The program was relaunched in February 2025 with $1 million in funding and is currently accepting applications. Clark County officials have indicated this may be the last major round of funding in the near future. Contact your WSHFC-participating lender or WSHFC at dietrich.schmitz@wshfc.org to verify current availability before applying.

How do community land trusts work in Clark County?

Community land trusts keep homes permanently affordable by separating ownership of the land from ownership of the home. You own the home and enter a long-term renewable land lease (typically $30-$40 per month for Evergreen Habitat). Both Evergreen Habitat for Humanity and Proud Ground operate CLTs serving Clark County and offer homes to income-qualified first-time buyers, with Evergreen focusing on sweat-equity partnerships and Proud Ground offering a resale-formula model that preserves affordability for the next buyer.

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

Homebuyer Programs in Vancouver, WA (2026)

Population: 199,000 | Median home price: $485,000 | Est. closing costs: $9,500 - $14,500

Vancouver, Washington sits just across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon, making it one of the most desirable places to buy a home in the Pacific Northwest. The median home price in Vancouver is approximately $485,000, and first-time buyers here have access to a strong mix of state, county, and nonprofit programs that help make homeownership attainable. The Clark County Down Payment Assistance Program offers up to $60,000 in combined county and state funds, and Washington State Housing Finance Commission programs like Home Advantage DPA (up to 5% of the first mortgage amount) and HomeChoice (up to $15,000) can often be paired with the county assistance. Nonprofit partners Evergreen Habitat for Humanity and Proud Ground provide permanently affordable homeownership opportunities through community land trust models for lower-income buyers. Stacking these programs can cover most or all of the down payment and closing costs on a qualifying purchase.

County Programs in Clark County

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Clark County Down Payment Assistance Program	Deferred Loan	Up to $60,000 ($45,000 from Clark County + $15,000 from WSHFC)	Yes	View →

Clark County Down Payment Assistance Program

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $60,000 ($45,000 from Clark County + $15,000 from WSHFC)
First-time only:: Yes

State Programs in Washington

Program Name	Type	Amount	First-Time Only	Details
Covenant Homeownership Program	Forgivable Loan	Up to $150,000 (20% down plus closing costs)	Yes	View →
Home Advantage DPA	Deferred Loan	Up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount	No	View →
Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA	Deferred Loan	Up to $10,000	No	View →
HomeChoice Down Payment Assistance	Deferred Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →
Opportunity Down Payment Assistance	Deferred Loan	Up to $15,000	Yes	View →
Veterans Down Payment Assistance	Repayable Loan	Up to $10,000	Yes	View →

Covenant Homeownership Program

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $150,000 (20% down plus closing costs)
First-time only:: Yes

Home Advantage DPA

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to 5% of the first mortgage loan amount
First-time only:: No

Home Advantage Needs-Based DPA

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
First-time only:: No

HomeChoice Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000
First-time only:: Yes

Opportunity Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Deferred Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000
First-time only:: Yes

Veterans Down Payment Assistance

Type:: Repayable Loan
Amount:: Up to $10,000
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 →

FHA Loans

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

FHLBA Community Partners Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $20,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

FHLBA First Time Homebuyer Product

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $17,500 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: Yes

FHLBA Workforce Housing Plus+

Type:: Forgivable Loan
Amount:: Up to $15,000 in home purchase assistance for down payment and closing costs
First-time only:: No

Good Neighbor Next Door (HUD)

Type:: Government Property Sale Program
Amount:: 50% discount off the list price of HUD-owned homes
First-time only:: Yes

Home Possible Mortgage (Freddie Mac)

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

HomeReady Mortgage (Fannie Mae)

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

HUD $100 Down Program

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

USDA Rural Development Loans

Type:: Government-Guaranteed Mortgage
Amount:: 100% financing (no down payment required); loan amount up to appraised value
First-time only:: No

VA Loans

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
Evergreen Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program	Repayable Loan	Affordable home purchase with 4.5% fixed first-mortgage rate and approximately $30-$40/month land lease fee	Yes	View →
Proud Ground Community Land Trust Homeownership	Grant	Below-market home purchase through permanently affordable community land trust model; subsidy value varies by property.	Yes	View →

Evergreen Habitat for Humanity Homeownership Program

Type:: Repayable Loan
Amount:: Affordable home purchase with 4.5% fixed first-mortgage rate and approximately $30-$40/month land lease fee
First-time only:: Yes

Proud Ground Community Land Trust Homeownership

Type:: Grant
Amount:: Below-market home purchase through permanently affordable community land trust model; subsidy value varies by property.
First-time only:: Yes

How to Apply

Step 1:

Check your eligibility. Most Vancouver-area DPA programs require you to be a first-time buyer with a household income at or below 80-90% of the Clark County Area Median Income (approximately $105,210 for a family of four at 90% AMI for Clark County DPA).

Step 2:

Complete homebuyer education. WSHFC offers a free Homebuyer Education Seminar online or in person — required for the Clark County DPA and most state programs. Evergreen Habitat and Proud Ground offer additional HUD-approved counseling.

Step 3:

Get pre-approved with a WSHFC-participating lender. Your lender will help layer state DPA programs (Home Advantage, Opportunity, HomeChoice) with the Clark County DPA.

Step 4:

Contact local nonprofits if you may qualify. Reach Evergreen Habitat for Humanity at 360-737-1759 and Proud Ground through proudground.org for community land trust opportunities in Clark County.

Step 5:

Find a home within program limits. The Clark County DPA caps purchase price at $600,000. The home must be located in Clark County and used as your primary residence.

Step 6:

Attend one-on-one pre-purchase counseling. This is required for the Clark County DPA and completed just before closing.

Step 7:

Close on your home. Your lender submits the DPA reservation to WSHFC and coordinates closing. Plan on attending post-purchase counseling as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

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