Housing Programs for Veterans on the Rise

November 7, 2014 | by Katie Claflin

Categories: Affordable Housing, First Time Buyer, Homeownership

November 11th is Veterans Day. According to the most recent US Census data, there are more than 1.6 million veterans currently living in Texas, and that number could increase as soldiers return from wars that are winding down. 

These brave men and women whose job is to protect our country need access to programs and services that can help them fully participate in the communities they worked to protect. 

TSAHC offers two programs to help Texas veterans become homeowners:

And TSAHC is not the only organization providing help to veterans. According to recent article in the Daily Herald, the number of homeownership programs geared specifically to veterans has grown significantly over the past couple of years.  Together these programs help ensure that veterans can achieve their dream of having a home to call their own.

Below is a list of 10 additional programs and services that can help Texas veterans buy a home, as well as find employment, access legal resources, and obtain other important services.

Homeownership Programs

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: provides a home loan guaranty benefit to help veterans buy, build, repair, retain or adapt a home to suit their occupancy needs.  Although VA loans require zero down payment, they can also be paired with other programs such as TSAHC's Homes for Texas Heroes program, offering down payment and closing cost assistance.
  • Texas Veteran's Land Board: provides low-interest land, home, and home improvement loans that require little or no down payment.  The home loan program also offers an interest rate reduction to qualifying veterans with a disability.
  • Pen-Fed Foundation: periodically offers grants for down payments to veterans who are first-time homebuyers.

Employment Resources

  • Texas Workforce Commission: connects returning veterans with employment and training resources, as well as medical, benefits and educational assistance.
  • HireHeroesUSA: provides personalized employment training and corporate engagement to create job opportunities for veterans and their spouses.

Update: Here’s a link to another employment resource provided to us by the kids of the Brenham Community Center: http://www.commercialcapitaltraining.com/business-resources/business-ideas/veteran-business-ideas/ 
Thanks, Brenham Community Center!

Update: Here are a few links provided by Cadet Ryan Cirbo to help veterans thinking of starting their own business.

https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/fund-your-business

https://www.fundera.com/resources/veterans-guide-starting-financing-small-business

Legal Resources

  • State Bar of Texas: supports pro bono legal clinics throughout Texas for military veterans who cannot afford to access the legal services they need
  • Texas Legal Services Center: provides free legal assistance via telephone to Texas veterans, with an emphasis on serving disabled veterans in rural areas of the state

Additional Resources

​​​​​​​More about TSAHC's Homes for Texas Heroes Program

The Homes for Texas Heroes Program provides Texas veterans with up to 5% down payment assistance in the form or a grant or 2nd lien that can be put towards your down payment and closing costs. Texas Veterans are also eligible to use TSAHC's Mortgage Credit Certificate Program which provides a tax credit that can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your home loan. 

Take our Eligibility Quiz to see if you qualify for one or both assistance options. You can also compare assistance options by using our Program Comparison Calculator


On the House blog posts are meant to provide general information on various housing-related issues, research and programs. We are not liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the information provided by blog sources. Furthermore, this blog is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.

Comments

[email protected]

Hi Leadfrord, we’d recommend looking into our Homes for Texas Heroes program and Texas Financial Toolbox’s financial resources (https://www.texasfinancialtoolbox.com/).

Leadfrord

Hello,  my wife an i lost are home during Hurricane Harvey. We have been living with a friend. Are credit is not great,  is there any programs out there that can help a first time home buyer with not perfect credit.

Andre Morton

I am a Veteran looking into programs that can help my small business grow. I need to purchase land to develop a set of soccer, and football fields. can you point me in the right direction

Laura Ross

Hi Jack, Katie Claflin can answer your questions about making a donation to assist veterans in Palacios. You can contact her at 512-334-2152 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Thanks!

Jack Toellner

I represent an individual that has an interest in making a donation to assist with veterans housing in Palacios and the surrounding areas of Matagorda County.  Is there a way to target help to veterans specifically in Palacios and/or the surrounding areas of Matagorda County?

Best regards,

Jack Toellner

Laura Ross

Hi Jeff,
The Veterans Land Board has programs that might be helpful to you in finishing your home. To find out more, call 800-252-VETS or visit their website at http://www.glo.texas.gov/vlb/index.html. Also, a Veterans Service Officer can provide information on programs available to you in your area. To locate the Veterans Service Officer in your county, contact the National Veterans Foundation at 888-777-4443.

Jeffrey Garcia

Hello im a Disable Veteran that injuried myself on the job that has a small family home that needs help finishing up home. We are currently living in an Rv on rural property that has septic tank, electricity, but no water well. Are there any organizations that can help us.

Sincerely,
Jeff Garcia

[email protected]

Hi Nakita, unfortunately I’m not aware of any rent-to-own programs specifically for veterans.  However, you may want to take a look at http://www.texvet.com/, which is a database of veterans assistance programs in Texas.  There may be a resource on this site that can help you.

NAKITA PEEBLES

Are there any rent to own programs for veterans who are not quite financially ready to buy?

TSAHC Staff

Hi Phillip,

Unfortunately we do not have funding available to assist veteran homeowners with flood damage, but here are a few resources that may be able to help:

http://www.adrntx.org/
http://austintexas.gov/department/emergency-home-repair
https://www.traviscountytx.gov/emergency-services/es-news/2015-flood-news

Phillip Arriaga

Hello,
      My father is a veteran who has recently been flooded out of his home and is needing assistance with rebuilding his home. I think it happened in Oct. and are now living in there garage due to the Travis County government. My parents were given a permit to rebuild so they started to rebuild and the county changed the there mind after FEMA change the ruling about the height requirements. Know the home needs to be 3 feet up off the ground to be in compliance with FEMA directives. The home was almost finished and contractor paid.  HELP!!!!. MY parents are retied and living on a budget

Albert

That is good to people of texas helping veterans in their city.

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