In honor of National Homeownership Month, TSAHC is taking the opportunity to spread the word about our Homes for Texas Heroes Program.
Authorized by the Texas Legislature, the Program provides fixed rate mortgage loans, down payment assistance and mortgage interest tax credits to professionals in Texas working tirelessly to help keep our communities strong.
This week in the blog, we’ll take a closer look at the individual professions that qualify for the Program. Click here to view more detailed eligibility requirements for each profession.
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
CORRECTIONS OFFICERS
The first step is to take our quick online Eligibility Quiz. This quiz will tell you whether you’re eligible for our assistance.
If you are eligible, the quiz will then direct you to contact a participating lender in your area. The lender will help you fill out the application. You will not submit anything directly to TSAHC.
You will also be required to complete an approved home buyer education course before closing on your home. And while we don’t require you to work with a specific REALTOR®, you can also use this search tool to find a REALTOR® familiar with our programs.
TSAHC has created new co-brandable flyers to help you promote Homes for Texas Heroes to each profession.
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.
Hello!
Per Texas HB 1090, signed into law in 2019, Emergency Operators (911 call-takers/dispatchers) are considered first responders. They are required to hold a TCOLE license just like a peace officer, and some hold medical certifications. Why are they not included on the Homes for Hero’s professions list?
Hello Jordan,
DPA’s can be used for all the regular programs: USDA, VA, FHA, and also Conventional.
Can DPA be used with a VA loan?
Hello Alfonso,
The best way to get started with our program is to visit “www.readytobuyatexashome.com” and take the eligibility quiz. Once you do that, if the result indicates you qualify (we do require a credit score of 620 or higher for our grant), the next step is to contact one of the approved lenders listed on our website (tsahc.org). Only our approved lenders can offer our programs as they are trained as experts in helping homebuyers navigate submitting the required documents and loan application.
I am a teacher, and my wife is a nurse. We would not qualify if we combined our gross income. Is there any way I could only use my income to finance the loan? Also, how would I know the percentage of DPA I would qualify for? Is the interest rate standard, or does it vary depending on the lender?
Hello Kimberly,
The Texas Legislature determines who qualifies under our Homes for Texas Heroes Program as they are the creators. Currently, social workers would still qualify under our Home Sweet Texas Program.
However, there is a current bill moving thru the Legislature to add to add social workers to the Texas Heroes Program. Please monitor your local news or google news on this bill under the 88th Legislature for future updates.
Our daughter works for Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. She has a degree. For seven years she’s worked tirelessly, in the Dallas area, with children advocating for them. WHY is she not included in the Heroes Program. CPS workers go around the clock to look our for unmet needs if children and keep them safe. The pay is not great. Our daughter often puts in 15 and 16 hour days, consecutively. Can she and/or these professionals not look forward to affordability and assistance to own their own home?
Hi Kristen, since our down payment assistance options offer a certain percentage of assistance per loan, you and your husband wouldn’t be able to “combine” the down payment assistance like in your example. However, if you and your husband are applying for a mortgage together, your combined incomes will likely allow you to qualify for a higher loan amount, meaning that the 2-5% of down payment assistance that you receive would be a higher amount than if either you or your husband applied for a mortgage alone! If you’d like further clarification, feel free to email us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
If me and my husband are both firefighters and our total combined gross income meets the limits, will we each be able to use the DPA on the same loan? For instance, will we each be able to use 2% on the TSAHC loan for a total of 4% DPA? Would the interest rate be the amount for 2% or different? Thanks
Hi Mitchell, the income requirements vary based on location, so we’d recommend taking our eligibility quiz to figure out if you qualify: https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/take-the-eligibility-quiz. If you’re a lender, you can find our income limits here: https://www.tsahc.org/public/upload/files/general/TSAHC_Combined_Income_Purchase_Price_Limits.pdf
What are the income eligibility requirements?
Hi Marcus, we offer the co-brandable flyers for any lenders or REALTORS® who want to show that they work with our homeownership programs. Additional logos or photos can be added to the flyers by downloading a copy and using a PDF-editing software like Adobe Acrobat.
i see you mention that the flyers are co-brandable, but i don’t see how or why. Furthermore, there are no instructions on how to upload an image of any kind. Co-brandable means you can put your logo or photo on the flyer prior to distribution, correct? Please advise.
Hi Chrissy, here’s a link to a detailed list of professions that qualify for our Homes for Texas Heroes program: https://www.tsahc.org/public/upload/files/general/H4H_Who_is_Eligible_for_the_Program.pdf. We also offer our Home Sweet Texas Home program to buyers of every career path! Learn more about that program here: https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/home-sweet-texas-home-loan-program
Hello,
I live out of state in California, looking to relocating to Texas. I am a 911 dispatcher and looking to purchase a home before moving. Do 911 dispatchers qualify under the hero’s loan?
What if im in the process of buying a home and are the closing period , If I have a lender already would I still qualify?
Hi Stephanie, we’d recommend checking out our Home Sweet Texas Home program! https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/home-sweet-texas-home-loan-program
My husband was a county jailer ( Corrections Officer ) for 25 years but is now retired- would we qualify? Or is it only for active duty ?
What about Licensed Social Workers? Is there a program that assists us?
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Hello Kadey,
Regarding your inquiry, you’re correct that the “first responder” definition was changed to include emergency response operators and dispatchers under the Governor’s Interoperable Radio Communications Program (Sec. 421.095, Government Code), but the definition wasn’t expanded anywhere else. That definition of “first responder” only applies to that specific program.
Our Homes for Texas Heroes program is governed by Sec. 2306.5621, Government Code, and we have to go by the definitions statutorily provided in that section. While there isn’t a definition for “first responder,” there are definitions for “peace officer,” “public security officer,” “emergency medical services personnel,” and “fire fighter.” Unfortunately, those definitions don’t include “emergency response operators” or “dispatchers.” We’re bound by the statutory definitions and don’t have flexibility unless the Legislature allows for it and updates the definitions for our programs.
I should add that we also have our Home Sweet Texas Home program, and it provides down payment assistance as well. That program is open to anyone, regardless of profession. So, we still have an option for emergency response operators and dispatchers to use our home buying programs.
You may reach out to a legislator and request that they introduce a bill in the upcoming session to include dispatchers in the program.