Return to Archives Home

Call home
“It’s great to have a place to call home. Like a dream come true,” said Jones, now an administrative assistant in HCD.
There was 1,600 square feet of excitement their first night.
“The kids kept running back and forth through the house and into the backyard. It took a long time to get them settled down,” Jones said. “We hadn’t gotten our furniture, so we slept on the floor with just pillows and blankets.

“I’ll never forget the wonderful feeling of having my family in our very own home. I am the first in my family to own a home. And my wife is the first in her family. HAP made it possible.”
HAP’s goal is to increase home ownership.

“This is a way for people to achieve the American dream,” said Milton Wilson Jr., HCD director.

“Home ownership is the foundation for families and our neighborhoods. For many citizens, the biggest barrier to owning a home is the inability to afford the down payment,” Wilson said. “The city’s Homebuyer Assistance Program helps Houstonians get the funds they need.”

HCD has been authorized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to spend $63 million in federal money known as the HOME Program to help homebuyers.

HOME Program funds are the largest federal block grant available to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing. They are the city’s primary source for homebuyer assistance.

As many as 500,000 Houstonians could qualify for the program, said Wilson who wants to commit up to $12 million to projects by late July for qualified recipients who have been chosen carefully and competitively.

Designed to provide financial assistance for low-to-moderate income homebuyers in the incorporated area of Houston, HAP provided Jones with the down payment and closing costs.

But HAP didn’t stop there. It also provided financial counseling, education about navigating the home buying process, and information about the new homeowner’s responsibilities.
The qualified homebuyer must complete an eight-hour homebuyer education program that addresses the issues related to purchasing a home: working with the realtor, preparing the home for ownership, financial management, and how to avoid default.

Jones said the program taught him about budgeting and how not to overspend on furnishings or get into debt.

“I keep referring back to the information they gave me,” Jones said.

Sandra Woodard, administrative supervisor of the program, said it’s important that mortgage payments be manageable.

“Our goal is to keep them between $700 and $900 a month,” Woodard said.

Who’s eligible?
In order to be eligible, the homebuyer must have a low-to-moderate income, which the program defines as having a gross annual income that does not exceed 80 percent of Houston’s median income adjusted for family size. (See chart.)

“Household size is important,” said Wendy Hall, HCD public information officer. “A person could be making $52,000 a year but be the sole support for a family of five and qualify for the program.”

The level of down payment assistance provided to each homebuyer may not exceed $19,500. Homes can’t cost more than $135,000, and the owner must agree to live in the home at least five years.

Applicants’ combined annual household income must be at or below the amounts listed in the Household Income Limits to qualify for HAP funds.

<<previous I 1 I 2 I