Quick comparison
| Program |
Max amount |
Area |
First-time buyer only? |
Form |
| TSAHC Home Sweet Texas | Up to 5% of loan | Statewide | No | Grant or 3-yr forgivable |
| TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes | 3%–5% of loan | Statewide | No | Grant or 3-yr forgivable |
| TDHCA My First Texas Home | Up to 5% of loan | Statewide | Yes (or veteran) | 30-yr 0% second lien |
| City of Dallas DHAP | $50,000–$60,000 | Dallas city limits | Yes | 5–15 yr forgivable |
| Fort Worth HAP | $25,000 | Fort Worth city limits | Yes | Up to 10 yr forgivable |
| Arlington AHAP | $20,000 | Arlington city limits | Yes | 5-yr forgivable |
| Plano FTHB (HOME) | $10,000 / $55,000 | Plano city limits | Yes | 5 yr / 30 yr shared equity |
| Garland Housing FC | $10,000 loan + $5,000 grant | Garland | Yes | Loan + grant combo |
| Mesquite DPAP | $10,000 | Mesquite city limits | Yes | 5-yr forgivable (20%/yr) |
| Grand Prairie Buying Power | $7,500 | Grand Prairie city limits | Yes | Forgivable grant |
| SETH 5-Star Texas Advantage | Up to 5% of loan | Most of TX (not Grand Prairie or McKinney) | No | Grant or 3-yr forgivable |
| Texas VLB Veterans Loan | Below-market rate, $424,100 cap | Statewide, veterans only | No | First-lien mortgage |
| HUD Good Neighbor Next Door | 50% off list price | HUD revitalization areas | Yes | Forgivable 2nd lien (3 yrs) |
Two minutes of fine print. Amounts, income caps, and price caps change roughly twice a year. We re-check each program quarterly, but always confirm with the issuing agency or your lender before counting on a number.
Statewide programs (work anywhere in DFW)
TSAHC Home Sweet Texas Home Loan
Max DPA:
Up to 5% of loan amount
Income cap:
~$117,300 (1–2 ppl) / $134,895 (3+) in DFW
First-time only?
No
Repayment:
Grant or 3-yr forgivable lien
The workhorse program for DFW buyers who don't qualify for city-specific help. TSAHC pairs a 30-year fixed mortgage with a second lien (or grant) covering down payment and closing costs. The 3-year forgivable option carries no monthly payment and is fully forgiven if you stay 36 months. There is no first-time buyer requirement, which makes it the most flexible program in Texas.
Program page at tsahc.org
TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes
Max DPA:
3%–5% of loan
Who qualifies:
Teachers, EMS, police, corrections, firefighters, veterans
First-time only?
No
Repayment:
Grant or 3-yr forgivable
Same mechanics as Home Sweet Texas, but with elevated grant tiers if you're in one of the eligible occupations. Counts veterans across all branches and reservists. On a $300,000 purchase, that's $9,000–$15,000 in assistance.
Program page at tsahc.org
TDHCA My First Texas Home
Max DPA:
Up to 5% of loan
Min credit:
640
First-time only?
Yes (or any veteran)
Repayment:
30-yr 0% second lien
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs' flagship first-time buyer program. The DPA is structured as a 30-year second lien at 0% with no monthly payment — fully due only if you sell or refinance. Income caps are tighter than TSAHC, and you cannot stack TDHCA with TSAHC on the same loan since both want the second-lien position. Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) is available as an add-on for additional tax savings.
Program page at welcomehome.tdhca.texas.gov
SETH 5-Star Texas Advantage Program
Max DPA:
Up to 5% of loan
Loan types:
FHA, VA, USDA, conventional
First-time only?
No
Excluded:
Travis County, El Paso, Grand Prairie, McKinney
Operated by Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation but available statewide with the exclusions listed. Comparable to TSAHC, often with slightly better rates on certain loan products. Worth getting quotes for both before committing.
Program page at sethfc.com
Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB) — Veterans Housing Assistance
Loan cap:
$424,100
2026 base rate:
6.35% / 5.85% with 30%+ disability
Down payment:
As low as 0%
Who qualifies:
Texas veterans & active military
Not a DPA grant — a discounted first-lien mortgage. Below-market interest rates, especially with a service-connected disability discount. VLB cannot be combined with VLB-funded DPA on the same property, but you can stack TSAHC Heroes or city DPA on top of a non-VLB VA loan.
Program page at glo.texas.gov
City of Dallas
Dallas Homebuyer Assistance Program (DHAP)
Max DPA:
$60,000 (high-opp area) / $50,000 (other)
Income cap:
≤80% AMI
First-time only?
Yes
Repayment:
5–15 yr forgivable (by amount)
The single largest DPA grant in the metroplex. As of May 1, 2026, the program is administered by Business and Community Lenders of Texas (BCL of Texas) on behalf of the City of Dallas. The deferred forgivable loan structure carries no interest and no monthly payment; it forgives over an affordability period scaled to the amount received (5 years for <$15K, 10 years for $15K–$40K, 15 years for >$40K). The property must be inside Dallas city limits.
Program page at dallascityhall.com · BCL of Texas DHAP portal
Fort Worth & Tarrant County
Fort Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP)
Max DPA:
$25,000
Income cap:
≤80% AMI (~$85,350 family of 4)
Price cap:
$309,000 existing / $329,000 new construction
Repayment:
Up to 10-yr forgivable
Closing cost + down payment assistance for first-time buyers (or those who haven't owned in 3 years) buying within Fort Worth city limits. Stackable with TSAHC and MCC, which is the most popular combination — Chestnut Mortgage and Housing Channel both publish stack-eligible scenarios.
Program page at fortworthtexas.gov · Housing Channel intake
Arlington Homebuyer Assistance Program (AHAP)
Max DPA:
$20,000
Income cap:
≤80% AMI
Property:
Inside Arlington city limits
Repayment:
5-yr forgivable, 0% interest
Administered by Housing Channel (817-924-5091). Forgivable second lien with a 5-year affordability period — sell, refinance with cash out, or move out before year 5 and the unforgiven portion is due. Otherwise, it's a true grant once you cross the 5-year mark.
Program page at arlingtontx.gov
Collin County cities
City of Plano First Time Homebuyers (FTHB)
CDBG max:
$10,000 (5-yr forgivable)
HOME max:
$55,000 (30-yr shared equity)
Min credit:
620
Cash limit:
≤$30,000 in assets
Two funding tracks at very different scales. The CDBG track is straightforward 5-year forgivable. The HOME track is much larger but carries a 30-year shared-equity agreement — when you sell, the City of Plano receives a proportional share of appreciation. Mandatory 8-hour education class plus HUD-approved counseling. Apply through City of Plano Community Services at 972-208-8183.
Program page at plano.gov
Other Dallas County cities
Garland Housing Finance Corporation DPA
Loan piece:
$10,000 0% loan
Grant piece:
$5,000 grant
First-time only?
Yes
Property:
Garland city limits
Combined-instrument program — a $10,000 deferred loan plus a $5,000 outright grant. Apply through Garland Housing Finance Corporation directly.
Program page at garlandhfc.org
City of Mesquite Down Payment Assistance Program (DPAP)
Max DPA:
$10,000
Income cap:
≤80% AMI
First-time only?
Yes (no ownership in 3 yrs)
Repayment:
5-yr forgivable, 20%/yr
0% interest forgivable loan that forgives 20% per year over 5 years. Property must be inside Mesquite city limits and used as primary residence.
Program page at cityofmesquite.com
City of Grand Prairie Buying Power Program
Max DPA:
$7,500
Income cap:
≤80% AMI
First-time only?
Yes (no ownership in 3 yrs)
Repayment:
Forgivable grant, no time-in-residence
Smaller dollar amount but the most flexible structure — forgivable grant with no time-in-residence requirement. Property must be inside Grand Prairie city limits.
Program page at gptx.org
Federal & specialty programs
HUD Good Neighbor Next Door
Discount:
50% off HUD list price
Who qualifies:
Teachers (PreK–12), firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement
Where:
HUD-designated revitalization areas
Catch:
Must live in home 36 months
The most generous program on this page if you qualify — half off the list price of HUD-owned single-family homes in designated revitalization areas. Inventory is limited (lottery-style when multiple bids come in on the same property), and the home must be your primary residence for at least 36 months or you owe back a prorated portion.
Program page at hud.gov
How to stack programs for maximum benefit
Most DFW buyers leave money on the table by picking the first program their lender mentions. Common high-value stacks:
- ✓ Fort Worth buyer, teacher, 80% AMI: Fort Worth HAP ($25K) + TSAHC Heroes (5% grant) + MCC = up to $40K+ of help plus tax credit
- ✓ Arlington buyer, first responder: Arlington AHAP ($20K) + TSAHC Heroes
- ✓ Dallas city limits, low-income, high-opp area: Dallas DHAP ($60K) alone usually maxes out — adding TSAHC second lien may complicate underwriting
- ✓ Veteran anywhere in DFW: Non-VLB VA loan + TSAHC Heroes + city program (Fort Worth, Arlington, etc.) if eligible
- ✓ Most of DFW outside city programs (Collin County outside Plano, Denton County, Rockwall, Kaufman): TSAHC Home Sweet Texas + MCC is usually the strongest combination
Important: Every stack needs to be approved by your lender's underwriter — subordination agreements between programs are case-by-case. Start with the program that requires the most lead time (usually the city program), then layer the statewide DPA on top.