First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Los Angeles

Who this guide is for

• First-time (or “first-time again”) buyers shopping in the City of Los Angeles, unincorporated L.A. County, or participating cities
• Households comparing down-payment / purchase assistance with a standard purchase loan (often FHA or conventional)
• Spanish- and English-speaking families who want one place to see the main local options before they call a lender

Edson holds both a California real estate license and a mortgage loan originator license (Rise Realty; loans originated as Tried & True Home Loans). The point of that structure is continuity: the house search and the payment conversation stay with the same person. This page is informational — not a commitment to lend and not a guarantee of program approval.

Program snapshot

1. CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program

Who it’s for: California first-time homebuyers who will occupy the home as their primary residence, meet CalHFA income limits, complete required homebuyer education/counseling, and use a CalHFA-approved loan officer with a CalHFA first mortgage. Non-occupant co-borrowers are not allowed.

What it helps with: A deferred-payment junior (subordinate) loan for down payment and/or closing costs. Per CalHFA’s published program page:

• With CalHFA government / FHA first mortgages: up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value
• With CalHFA conventional first mortgages: up to the lesser of 3% of the purchase price or appraised value

Interest rates and fees vary by file and lender — CalHFA does not lend directly to consumers. Check current terms with a CalHFA-approved loan officer.

Eligibility themes (verify on official page): first-time buyer definition, primary occupancy, homebuyer education certificate, income limits, eligible one-unit property types (including certain condos/PUDs; manufactured housing permitted under guidelines).

Official link: calhfa.ca.gov – MyHome
Related hub: CalHFA homebuyer programs

2. City of Los Angeles — LIPA and MIPA (LAHD)

The Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) runs two purchase-assistance programs for first-time buyers buying inside the City of Los Angeles (not the same as “anywhere in L.A. County”).

LIPA — Low Income Purchase Assistance

Who it’s for: First-time buyers (no ownership interest in any real property in the last three years) whose household income falls in the low-income band published by LAHD (up to 80% AMI by household size — see current table on the official page). Other themes on the agency page include: U.S. citizen / lawful permanent resident / other qualified alien status; middle FICO of at least 660; 8-hour homebuyer education + counseling from an LAHD-approved provider; minimum 1% of the purchase price from the buyer’s own funds; owner-occupancy.

What it helps with: A subordinate loan for down payment, closing costs, and acquisition. LAHD’s LIPA page (as of the agency’s September 2026 update) lists assistance of up to $161,000, at 0% interest, deferred (no monthly payment on the City loan), with a shared appreciation provision. Repayment of the loan and shared appreciation is due on sale, title transfer, first-mortgage repayment, or as a balloon in 30 years (refinance of the first mortgage allowed under certain conditions). Maximum purchase-price limit and reservation calendars are published on the official page — check current terms; funding is limited and released in reservation rounds.

Official link: LAHD – LIPA

MIPA — Moderate Income Purchase Assistance

Who it’s for: First-time buyers in the moderate-income band published by LAHD (above the LIPA band, up to the MIPA caps by household size). Many of the same themes as LIPA (three-year first-time rule, FICO, education, 1% own funds, City of L.A. property, owner-occupancy).

What it helps with: Subordinate loan for down payment, closing costs, and acquisition. LAHD’s MIPA page lists assistance of up to $115,000, with 0% deferred structure and shared appreciation — same “verify current limits and reservation dates” rule as LIPA. Maximum purchase-price limit is published on the official page.

Official link: LAHD – MIPA

How to start (per LAHD): Contact an LAHD participating lender (English/Spanish lists on the agency site), or call (213) 808-8800, or email lahd.homebuyerinfo@lacity.org. Overview of City first-time programs: LAHD First-Time Homebuyers.

3. LACDA Home Ownership Program — HOP80 and HOP150

Who it’s for: First-time homebuyers (no ownership interest in real estate in the past three years) who meet income limits for HOP80 (80% AMI tier) or HOP150 (150% AMI tier), will owner-occupy, complete an eight-hour HUD-approved homebuyer education seminar, and contribute a minimum of 1% of the down payment from their own funds (not including closing costs). Total buyer contribution into escrow is capped differently by program — see the official page. Applications are submitted only through a HOP participating lender, first-come, first-served.

What it helps with: A second mortgage for down payment and/or closing costs. Per LACDA: assistance of up to $100,000, or 20% of the purchase price, whichever is less; 0% interest; deferred repayment with shared equity. Repayment (loan plus a share of appreciation) is required when the home is sold, title transfers, or the home is no longer owner-occupied.

Property / location themes: Single-family homes, condos, and townhomes; max purchase price published as $700,000 (HOP80) and $850,000 (HOP150) on the official page — verify before you shop. Property must be in unincorporated Los Angeles County or a HOP participating city (list on lacda.org; address eligibility can be confirmed with HOP@lacda.org). Pre-1978 homes need a visual lead-based paint inspection that must pass before approval.

Official link: lacda.org – Home Ownership Program
Questions: HOP@lacda.org · (626) 586-1853

4. FHA loans — 3.5% minimum required investment (framing only)

Many first-time buyers in Los Angeles use an FHA-insured purchase loan because the published minimum required investment (MRI) is lower than a typical 20% conventional down payment. HUD’s Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 frames the borrower’s MRI as at least 3.5% of the adjusted value (commonly understood as the path to a maximum LTV of 96.5% when credit and other overlays allow). Closing costs are separate; credit score and lender overlays can change what you actually need at the table.

This is not a City or County grant. FHA is mortgage insurance through HUD; you still need a lender, underwriting, and an eligible property. FHA can sometimes be paired with assistance programs (for example CalHFA MyHome with a CalHFA FHA first mortgage) when guidelines allow — that stacking is file-specific.

Official policy source: HUD SFH Handbook 4000.1

Related reading on this site: FHA vs conventional, in plain English.

How to choose a path (simple checklist)

1. Where is the house? City of L.A. → LIPA/MIPA may apply. Unincorporated County or a HOP city → HOP80/HOP150 may apply. Anywhere in California with a CalHFA first mortgage → MyHome may apply.
2. What is household income vs. published AMI tables? That usually sorts LIPA vs. MIPA, and HOP80 vs. HOP150.
3. Can you complete education early? Most of these programs require an approved homebuyer course before funding.
4. Do you have the minimum buyer funds the program asks for? (Often about 1% of price from your own funds for City/County programs — confirm the exact rule.)
5. Talk through the first mortgage and any “silent second” in one conversation so the offer strategy and the closing cash are not two different stories.

Buying with an ITIN — immigrant buyers in Los Angeles

A lot of families in Glendale, the San Fernando Valley, and Los Angeles ask the same thing: Can I buy a home if I don't have a Social Security number?

What an ITIN is. An ITIN is a nine-digit tax ID from the IRS for people who need a U.S. taxpayer number but are not eligible for a Social Security number. It is for taxes. It is not work authorization, not immigration status, and not Social Security benefits.

Buying and financing are two different questions. Non-citizens can often take title and own a home. Getting a mortgage is separate — it depends on the loan program, the lender's rules, and documentation. An ITIN by itself does not mean a loan will be approved.

Agency loans vs. other paths. Loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac follow residency and documentation rules. Fannie allows a valid SSN or ITIN as the tax ID, plus the legal-presence documents the file needs — an ITIN alone is not enough for a Fannie saleable loan. Freddie generally requires lawful residency for the borrower to be saleable. FHA has tightened non-permanent resident rules (case numbers on or after May 25, 2025). Do not assume FHA is an “ITIN loan.” Some lenders offer portfolio or non-QM loans that work with an ITIN — terms vary by lender and file. There is no single rate or down-payment number that fits every ITIN purchase.

Programs on this page. CalHFA and local assistance (LIPA/MIPA, HOP) have their own citizenship / Qualified Alien and documentation rules. Do not assume those programs work the same way as a private ITIN mortgage. We map what actually fits your situation before you count on any path.

Spanish-speaking and immigrant families. If Spanish is easier, we can do the whole conversation that way — house search and financing with the same person (REALTOR® + MLO). Bring what you have; we'll say plainly what is missing.

This is not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Rules change. Talk with Edson before you rely on any path.

Ready to talk it through? Call or text (818) 669-6142 · edsonloans@gmail.com · Contact form

Important disclosures

• Program rules, dollar caps, income limits, purchase-price limits, interest, shared-appreciation formulas, and reservation calendars change. Always confirm on the official agency page and with a participating lender.
• This article is educational. It is not a loan offer, credit decision, or guarantee of assistance. All loans are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and property eligibility.
• Edson J. Medrano is a California REALTOR® (DRE #02240468) and mortgage loan originator (NMLS #2781633) with Rise Realty; loans originated under Tried & True Home Loans, a division of Rise Realty. Equal Housing Opportunity. NMLS Consumer Access.