COVID-19 Update

The Housing Partnership is proud to administer the HouseCharlotte Program on behalf of the City of Charlotte. Together, we’re addressing an important need in our community by helping hardworking people achieve upward mobility through homeownership.

The HouseCharlotte Program offers five deferred and forgivable downpayment assistance loan options for household incomes at or below 80% area median income. The program features downpayment assistance for Charlotte Community Heroes – law enforcement officers, charter and pre-K-12th grade public schoolteachers, paraprofessionals, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, healthcare workers, and other essential workers.

To learn more, read below and check out Featured Programs on the right.

HouseCharlotte Program Overview
Income Eligibility Chart
HouseCharlotte Approved Lenders List

Additional information is outlined below.

Program Features (For homebuyers not eligible for the Community Heroes Program)

The HouseCharlotte Program provides 5, 10, or 15-year, deferred, forgivable loans to qualified applicants. Funds can be used to cover down payment, closing cost and interest rate buy down.

• Funding up to $10,000 for families with household income at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI) purchasing within Charlotte City limits.
• Funding up to $10,000 for Public Service Employees with household income at or below 80% AMI purchasing within Charlotte City limits.
• Funding up to $7,500 for families with household income above 80% AMI, up to 110% AMI purchasing within Charlotte City limits.
• Funding up to $17,000 for families with household income at or below 80% AMI purchasing in select high cost neighborhoods.

Additional eligibility requirements

• Maximum purchase price is $300,000 for new construction properties and $245,000 for existing properties.
• Families with household income that is 110% or less of the HUD Area Median Income may be eligible.
• Participants must complete pre-purchase homebuyer education and counseling through a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency.
• The home must be a family’s primary residence and located within the City of Charlotte.
• The HouseCharlotte down payment assistance can be combined with other down payment assistance programs, such as North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Community Partners Loan Pool.

Charlotte Community Heroes Program

The City of Charlotte has partnered with Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLB) to offer Community Heroes – a down payment assistance program for:
public school teachers
law enforcement officers
firefighters
other first responders (EMT, MEDIC)

healthcare workers

and other essential workers
with household incomes of 80.01% to 120% Area Median Income (AMI).

  Funding of up to $30,000

  HouseCharlotte funding up to $22,500, with a 3:1 Match of up to $7500 from FHLB

  Maximum purchase price is $300,000

  Must purchase within Mecklenburg County

Click here to apply: Community Heroes Loan Submission Forms

To learn more about Charlotte Community Heroes, please review the frequently asked questions.

Important for lenders: Please note that the first mortgage lender will apply on the customer’s behalf – and must be an approved HouseCharlotte lender and Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta member or call 800-536-9650 ext. 8093.

Getting Started?

• Lenders apply for the program on behalf of eligible buyers. To find out if you are eligible, contact a HouseCharlotte Approved Lender.
• Please note that HouseCharlotte is not affiliated with any Real Estate Company, Broker or Agent. Buyers are welcome to use the agent of their choice.
• The selected home must be located within the City of Charlotte limits. To determine if the property of interest is eligible, an address search must be completed through the mapping application.
• Once you have found a house in an eligible area, ask your lender to apply for the HouseCharlotte Program. All parties on the loan must attend a minimum of eight (8) hours of homebuyer education and counseling with a HUD-Approved Counseling Agency. To register for education courses, buyers can review our Homeownership Education Programs, or call the Homeownership Center of Charlotte at 704-342-0933, Prosperity Unlimited, Inc. at 704-933-7405, or another local HUD-Approved Counseling Agency or visit HUD.gov.
  • Online Education is accepted from E-Home and Framework ONLY. One-on-one counseling is required. *Please note, we provide (4) hours of credit for online education therefore the remaining (4) hours should come from one-on-one counseling.
  • A certificate is issued upon completion of training which is valid for one year only.
  • Completion of homebuyer education training does not guarantee approval of HouseCharlotte funds.

For LENDERS and REALTORS

Contacts

For General Program Information, Loan Submission Process and Requirements
The Housing Partnership HouseCharlotte Team
(704)705-3999
HouseCharlotte@cmhp.org

For Lender Registration and Post Closing Account Services
City of Charlotte Housing & Neighborhood Services
Ron Mason
(704)336-2754
rmason@charlottenc.gov

For LENDERS