Downpayment Assistance Program (DAP)
       Building Better Communities Throughout Harris County

The Community Services Department Downpayment Assistance Program (DAP) can financially help you purchase your dream house in Harris County, if you are income eligible and a first-time homebuyer. 

Harris County Downpayment Assistance Program (DAP) Guidelines:

• $14,200 for new construction, $9,500 for resale properties, built within the current ten (10) years.  You must live in the house for five (5) years, which is the affordability period
  

• Maximum purchase price of homes not to exceed FHA 203(b) limits in Harris County
  
• The home you buy must be in an unincorporated area of Harris County, which includes these zip codes and service area, and cannot be located in the City of Houston, Baytown, or Pasadena, since these cities have their own programs
  
• To begin the DAP process, all applicants must take a homebuyer certificate program from a HUD approved homebuyer education course provider.
  
• To participate in this program, you must live in the new house or the pre-owned house for a minimum of five years, depending on the amount of the award
  
• Buyer must have at least $350 or 1/2 of lenders downpayment, as required toward the purchase price to invest in the house
  
• Buyer cannot have more than $10,000 in liquid assets, such as stocks, cash, or bonds
  
• Buyer must have at least one credit score of 620
  
• Buyer's debt to income ratio (DTI) cannot exceed 42%
  
• Buyer must be credit and program approved through one of the listed approved
  mortgage lenders and Harris County to receive downpayment assistance
  
• In order to qualify for downpayment assistance, you must be a first time homebuyer, or not have owned a house for three years prior to applying for assistance, and be income qualified by the chart below
  
• Every member of the household must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident Alien

As of March 2009, the total family gross income cannot exceed the following:

Number of family members	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Max annual income*	$35,750	$40,850	$45,950	$51,050	$55,150	$59,200	$63,300	$67,400

* Your income is not totally determined from your paycheck.  It is also determined by use of your checking, savings, investment, and retirement accounts at a rate of 2 percent, plus any other forms of income you might receive, such as child support, reoccurring gifts, etc.

 

 

Resources: 

Steps for Homeownership  DAP Definitions Service Area Map			English Español Vietnamese