Down payment assistance (DPA) is money from a government or public agency that covers part of your down payment or closing costs. Most of it is written for people buying a single-family house. This page asks a narrower question that the big assistance directories do not: can you use the money on a two-to-four unit building that you live in and rent out? I checked the best available program in 83 metro areas in July 2026 and recorded the answer for each one.
How many metros have down payment assistance for a duplex
In about one in six of the 83 metros I checked, I could not find any down payment assistance that can be used on a two-to-four unit building. Not a smaller amount. Nothing.
That gap is not random, and it is not about your income or your credit. It is about the building. A buyer with identical finances gets help in one city and nothing in another, because of a property rule written into the program.
How much assistance is usable on a 2-4 unit building
The worry: if you are trying to buy a small multi-unit building – the strategy where tenants help pay your mortgage – the assistance programs are mostly not built for you. Some metros offer nothing at all, and a further group offer under $10,000, which does not move much at today’s prices.
The data: where it does exist, it is worth real money. Most metros have something, the median is about $17,500, and the top of the range is far higher than most buyers expect. New York City’s HomeFirst program goes to $100,000.
Where that leaves you: this is worth checking before you choose a market, not after. It is one of the few housing costs where the answer is a flat yes or no rather than a matter of degree, and it can be worth more than a year of savings.
Why the state agency is often the strictest lender in its own state
This is the part that surprised me, and it is the single most useful thing on this page.
You would assume the state housing finance agency – the body whose whole job is helping people buy homes – offers the most flexible terms in its state. Frequently it offers the least flexible, at least on this question. State agencies write their own property eligibility rules, and those rules very often say single-family only.
Many other public bodies do not write their own property rules. They defer to the underlying loan programs, FHA and Fannie Mae, and both of those allow one-to-four unit properties as long as you live in one of the units. So those programs permit what the state agency forbids. Some city programs still set their own cap, often two units, so check the property rules even when the agency is local.[S26]
The clearest example is California. CalHFA, the state agency, requires that the home “must be zoned for Single Family Occupancy (not for 2-4 units).” The Golden State Finance Authority, a statewide joint powers authority operating in the same state, runs a program covering “1-4 unit homes.” Same state, same buyer, opposite answer. That difference is worth up to 5.5% of the loan in the California metros on this list.
The practical version: if your state agency says no, you are not finished looking. Search for joint powers authorities, county and city housing finance corporations, and multi-state nonprofit assistance providers. They are where a small multi-unit buyer’s money tends to be. I wrote up the full California picture, program by program, in Down Payment Assistance for a Duplex in California.
State by state: each state in the dataset now has its own page with the statewide program’s two-to-four-unit verdict, HUD’s income limits and the FHA loan limits by metro, and what a duplex costs there: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington, DC, Wisconsin.
How a county program got me into my first home
A county down payment assistance program is how I bought my first home, a $185,000 starter house. I was not sitting on a large down payment, and the county money covered the part I could not. The equity from that house later became the down payment on my duplex. That is the whole reason this page exists: the programs are real and they are usable, but only if you find the one whose property rules match the building you actually want.
Down payment assistance by metro: all 83 checked
The amount shown is the single best program I found in that metro that permits two-to-four unit properties. Where the agency states its assistance as a percentage rather than a dollar amount, I show the percentage rather than working out a dollar figure of my own. Each program name links to the page or document I read. Figures were checked in July 2026 and corrected through September 2026 where agencies replied.
To check one metro at a time, with the program’s own wording and a link to that metro’s page, use the down payment assistance lookup.
* marks a metro where my source was a third-party summary rather than the program’s own rules; treat those amounts as leads to confirm with the agency.
| Metro ↕ | Best usable amount ↕ | Program (links to the source I checked) |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $100,000 | NYC HPD HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program |
| Seattle | 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan | WSHFC Home Advantage DPA (second mortgage). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible, confirmed in writing by WSHFC, August 2026 |
| Los Angeles | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority) |
| Sacramento | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select) |
| San Diego | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select) |
| San Francisco | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select) |
| San Jose | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select) |
| Oxnard | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority) |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | 5% of the loan, $10,000 to $35,000[S25] | Florida Hometown Heroes (statewide). Only for full-time health care, school, first responder, public safety, court and child care workers and veterans employed by a Florida-based employer, and for servicemembers; if you qualify, it works in every Florida metro.[S22] |
| Denver | 3% or 4% of the loan[S28] | metroDPA (Denver-metro city/county consortium DPA, administered via CHFA/Colorado Housing Enterprises). The program guide (revised 10 June 2026) sets assistance at “3% or 4% of the Note amount, in the form of a 30-year deferred second mortgage” and an income limit of $216,000 for FHA, VA and USDA loans; an earlier version of this row said up to 5%, from the consumer site. |
| Albany | $15,000–$30,000 | SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL/DPAL Plus). Up to $30,000 requires household income at or below 60% of area median income; the standard DPAL is the higher of $3,000 or 3% of the price, capped at $15,000. |
| Boston | $30,000 | MassHousing Down Payment Assistance |
| Buffalo | $15,000–$30,000 | SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL/DPAL Plus). Up to $30,000 requires household income at or below 60% of area median income; the standard DPAL is the higher of $3,000 or 3% of the price, capped at $15,000. |
| Rochester | $15,000–$30,000 | SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL), paired with Achieving the Dream / Low Interest Rate mortgage. Up to $30,000 requires household income at or below 60% of area median income; the standard DPAL is the higher of $3,000 or 3% of the price, capped at $15,000. |
| Syracuse | $15,000–$30,000 | SONYMA Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL) Plus. Up to $30,000 requires household income at or below 60% of area median income; the standard DPAL is the higher of $3,000 or 3% of the price, capped at $15,000. |
| Worcester | $30,000 | MassHousing Down Payment Assistance |
| San Antonio | 2% to 5% of the loan | TDHCA My First Texas Home (5% DPA second lien). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the program matrix lists duplexes, one unit owner-occupied, and no triplex or fourplex)[S21] |
| Riverside-San Bernardino | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority) |
| Bridgeport | $25,000 | CHFA Time to Own (statewide) |
| Detroit | $25,000 | City of Detroit Down Payment Assistance Program. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the city’s guidelines require a 1-2 unit property in the City of Detroit). |
| Hartford | $25,000 | CHFA Time To Own (Down Payment Assistance) |
| Salt Lake City | $27,500[S16] | Utah Housing Corporation DPA, up to 6% of the first mortgage, capped at $27,500. A duplex qualifies on its FHA/VA loan (Form 300: “One-two unit owner-occupied”); three- and four-unit homes on its Freddie Mac HFA Advantage loan, with a 700 minimum score and 95% maximum LTV. The Traditional second carries a monthly payment at 1 point above the first rate; the Deferred option (up to 3.5%) has none. Corrected 4 October 2026: an earlier version of this row said 2-4 units qualified only on HFA Advantage.[S29] |
| Tampa | $25,000 | Home Sweet Home Hillsborough Program (Florida Housing HFA partner DPA) |
| Fresno | up to 5.5% of the loan | GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority) |
| Minneapolis | $20,000 | Minneapolis Homes: ACCESS Down Payment Assistance (City of Minneapolis) |
| Washington DC | 3% or 3.5% of the price[S15] | DC Open Doors DPAL (DC Housing Finance Agency), sized to the full minimum down payment: 3.5% of the price on FHA, 3% conventional. |
| Bakersfield | up to 5.5% of the loan[S5] | GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority) |
| Houston | up to 5% of the loan[S6] | TSAHC Homeownership DPA (Home Sweet Texas / Homes for Texas Heroes). An existing 2-4 unit home must have “been occupied for residential purposes for at least 5 years”; conventional: LTV under 95% and 3% own funds (Lender Guidelines 4.2, read 4 October 2026).[S32] |
| Austin | 2% to 5% of the loan[S4] | TDHCA My First Texas Home (statewide). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the program matrix lists duplexes, one unit owner-occupied, and no triplex or fourplex) |
| Baltimore | None found | Maryland Mortgage Program (MMP): its Compliance Manual (section 2.10(F), updated 28 January 2026) lists “Rental homes or any home a portion of which is to be rented” among ineligible residences, so MMP’s $6,000 and 3% to 6% products cannot be used on a rented-unit house hack. A stated no, read from the manual on 4 October 2026; an earlier version of this row said the program qualified. Baltimore City and County local programs were not surveyed for 2-4 units.[S27] |
| Dallas | 2% to 5% of the loan | TDHCA My First Texas Home (statewide). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the program matrix lists duplexes, one unit owner-occupied, and no triplex or fourplex) |
| Memphis | $15,000 | THDA Great Choice Home Loan / Down Payment Assistance. The $15,000 (5% of price) option is a 30-year second at the first-mortgage rate with a monthly payment; $6,000 or $10,000 no-payment options; “Max Acquisition Cost $500,000” (Originating Agents Guide, read 4 October 2026).[S30] |
| Nashville | $15,000 | THDA Great Choice Home Loan / Down Payment Assistance. The $15,000 (5% of price) option is a 30-year second at the first-mortgage rate with a monthly payment; $6,000 or $10,000 no-payment options; “Max Acquisition Cost $500,000” (Originating Agents Guide, read 4 October 2026).[S30] |
| Portland | $15,000 | FHLBank Des Moines Home$tart (member-bank grant, covers Oregon) |
| Providence | $15,000 | RIHousing $15K DPA |
| Cincinnati | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance |
| Omaha | up to 5% of the price | NIFA Homebuyer Assistance (HBA)[S2], a repayable second mortgage of up to 5% of the price, 10 years at 1%.[S17] |
| Columbus | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance |
| Milwaukee | up to 6% of the price[S14] | WHEDA Easy Close Advantage. 2-4 units with a WHEDA conventional first mortgage, which “requires Borrower funds of 3% of purchase price and 6 months reserves”; one or two units with a WHEDA FHA loan. Easy Close is a 10-year second with a monthly payment at the first-mortgage rate (WHEDA program page, read 4 October 2026).[S31] |
| New Orleans | $25,000 | Finance New Orleans Green Mortgage Program Guide. Up to $25,000 as a 0% second, forgiven in full after five years at or below 80% of area median income. One-to-four unit primary residence, with the unit cap set by the first mortgage product (Fannie Mae up to four, FHA and VA two, Freddie Mac one), and a $450,000 purchase price limit on a two-to-four unit home. Finance New Orleans has temporarily paused new applications as of August 2026. |
| Charleston | 3% or 4% of the loan | Palmetto Home Advantage, 3% or 4% of the first mortgage. TWO-unit eligible (3% borrower contribution required); 3-4 unit NOT eligible |
| Charlotte | 3% of the loan | NC Home Advantage Mortgage (statewide, FHA loans) |
| Akron | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance |
| Dayton | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance |
| Chicago[S11] | $10,000 | IHDAccess Repayable (Illinois Housing Development Authority), 10% of the price up to $10,000. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (IHDA’s March 2026 matrix: ‘1 – 2 units only’). |
| Cleveland | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance |
| Grand Rapids | Unconfirmed | MSHDA MI 10K DPA Loan (statewide). Up to $10,000 for eligible owner-occupant buyers, but MSHDA does not state two-to-four-unit eligibility and participating lenders describe single-family, condominium and manufactured homes only (checked October 2026), so this survey does not count it for a duplex until the agency confirms. |
| Jacksonville | $20,000 | Home Sweet Home (Housing Finance Authority of Jacksonville, Duval County). Up to $20,000 for first-time buyers; a two-to-four-unit home has to be at least five years old (checked September 2026). Florida Housing FL Assist (statewide second mortgage), $10,000, is the statewide fallback.[S23] |
| Lakeland | $10,000 | Florida Housing FL Assist (statewide second mortgage) |
| McAllen | up to 5% of the loan | TSAHC Homeownership DPA (statewide, covers Rio Grande Valley). Same conditions as Houston: five years of residential use on an existing 2-4 unit home; conventional LTV under 95% with 3% own funds.[S32] |
| Miami | $10,000 | Florida Housing FL Assist (statewide second mortgage) |
| North Port-Sarasota | $10,000 | Florida Housing FL Assist (statewide second mortgage) |
| Orlando | $10,000 | Florida Housing FL Assist (statewide second mortgage) |
| Philadelphia | $10,000 | Philly First Home, up to $10,000 or 6% of the price, whichever is lower. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (single-family home or duplex only). |
| Spokane | 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan[S18] | WSHFC Home Advantage DPA (second mortgage), 0% interest. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible, confirmed in writing by WSHFC, August 2026. The Needs-Based loan (up to $10,000 at 1%) is the smaller option. |
| St. Louis | 4% of the loan[S7] | MHDC First Place Loan Program (DPA option). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (MHDC’s manual lists ‘owner-occupied one- or two-unit duplexes’). |
| Kansas City | 4% of the loan | MHDC First Place Loan Program (DPA option). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (MHDC’s manual lists ‘owner-occupied one- or two-unit duplexes’). |
| Oklahoma City | 3.5% of the loan | OHFA DREAM (government loan) Down Payment Assistance. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the guide lists ‘1 – Unit & 2 – Unit Properties’). |
| Greensboro | 3% of the loan | NC Home Advantage Mortgage (statewide, FHA loans) |
| Pittsburgh | $7,500 | URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh) Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible. $7,500 is for first-time buyers under 80% of area median income; $5,000 from 80% to 115%. |
| Toledo | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Down Payment Assistance ('Your Choice!', 3% or 3.5%)[S24] |
| Allentown | $6,000 | PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan. TWO-unit eligible through a Keystone Home Loan or Keystone Government first mortgage, which PHFA’s First Mortgage Programs Overview (March 2026) lists as “One or two units”; HFA Preferred, the third pairing, is one-unit only; 3-4 unit NOT eligible. |
| Harrisburg | $6,000 | PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan. TWO-unit eligible through a Keystone Home Loan or Keystone Government first mortgage, which PHFA’s First Mortgage Programs Overview (March 2026) lists as “One or two units”; HFA Preferred, the third pairing, is one-unit only; 3-4 unit NOT eligible. |
| Scranton | $6,000 | PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan. TWO-unit eligible through a Keystone Home Loan or Keystone Government first mortgage, which PHFA’s First Mortgage Programs Overview (March 2026) lists as “One or two units”; HFA Preferred, the third pairing, is one-unit only; 3-4 unit NOT eligible. |
| El Paso | 2% to 5% of the loan | TDHCA My First Texas Home (statewide). TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible. The City of El Paso First-Time Homebuyer sheet (updated July 2022) covers one unit in a 2-4-unit property, not a whole building, so it is no longer counted here (corrected October 2026). |
| Portland ME * | $5,000 | MaineHousing First Home Loan Program (down payment/closing cost assistance) |
| Tulsa | 3.5% of the loan[S12] | OHFA DREAM (government loan) Down Payment Assistance. TWO-unit eligible; 3-4 unit NOT eligible (the guide lists ‘1 – Unit & 2 – Unit Properties’). For a triplex or fourplex, the Housing Partners of Tulsa, Inc. Homeownership Program ($5,000, local nonprofit, city of Tulsa) may apply if its unit rules can be confirmed. |
| Youngstown | 3% or 3.5% of the price | OHFA Down Payment Assistance ('Your Choice!', 3% or 3.5%) |
| Albuquerque | None found | Housing New Mexico FirstHome and FirstDown: the FirstHome fact sheet states the program can only finance single-family residences and that properties cannot be used for income generation. A stated no, read from the agency’s own fact sheet (September 2026) |
| Atlanta | None found | Georgia Dream Homeownership Program. Published eligibility matrix excludes 2-4 unit; not confirmed with the agency, two attempts undeliverable August 2026 |
| Baton Rouge | None found | Louisiana Housing Corporation MRB Home/Assisted. All LHC down payment assistance excludes 2-4 unit, confirmed in writing by LHC, August 2026 |
| Birmingham | None found | AHFA Step Up. Single-family only, confirmed in writing by AHFA, August 2026 |
| Fort Wayne | None found | IHCDA Next Home / First Step (Hoosier Homes also checked). A 1-4 unit purchase is allowed, but the other units may not be rented for the life of the loan, confirmed in writing by IHCDA, August 2026 |
| Indianapolis | None found | IHCDA Next Home / First Step. A 1-4 unit purchase is allowed, but the other units may not be rented for the life of the loan, confirmed in writing by IHCDA, August 2026 |
| Knoxville | $15,000 | THDA Great Choice Plus, 5% of the price capped at $15,000. THDA’s lender guide lists single-family 1-4 unit homes with one unit owner-occupied, and THDA confirmed in writing (Aug 14, 2026) that its assistance can be used on a 1-4 unit home the buyer lives in.[S19] The $15,000 option is a 30-year second at the first-mortgage rate with a monthly payment; the no-payment options are $6,000 or $10,000; maximum acquisition cost $500,000 (guide read 4 October 2026).[S30] |
| Las Vegas | 5% of the loan | Nevada Home Is Possible (HIP-DPA). Assistance is 3% or 5% of the loan amount rather than a fixed sum, and the 5% tier carries a slightly higher interest rate. One-to-four units, detached or attached, per the agency’s published rate sheet, and confirmed by email from the Nevada Housing Division in August 2026. |
| Louisville | Unconfirmed | KHC Down Payment Assistance, up to $12,500. The program page does not say whether a 2-4 unit home qualifies, so I do not count it as usable (July 2026). The program may still apply, and local programs may too; I surveyed only the major ones. |
| Phoenix | Unconfirmed | Arizona IDA Home Plus, up to 5% of the loan as a forgivable second. The program’s own FAQ lists single-family homes, townhomes, condos and manufactured homes and refers multi-unit questions to the lender; participating lenders advertise duplex eligibility. Not stated by the program, so recorded as unconfirmed (September 2026) |
| Raleigh | 3% of the loan | NC Home Advantage Mortgage Program Guide, Section 6.1. Duplexes are eligible under the FHA product and are explicitly excluded from the conventional product, in NCHFA’s own words. Three-to-four unit properties are not addressed either way. |
| Richmond | None found | Virginia DHCD HOMEownership Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA). Up to $40,000 (10-15% of price plus up to $2,500 closing costs) for buyers at or below 80% AMI. Not usable for buying a whole two-to-four-unit building. The published guidelines allow a unit in a duplex, triplex or fourplex only if it is sold and deeded on its own and you will not own the other units as rentals, and DHCD confirmed in writing (Cheri Miles, Program Manager, 5 October 2026): “The down payment assistance would be available for the one unit. DPA is not available if the homeowner is purchasing the entire building.” An August 2026 email had suggested a whole duplex could qualify; the October answer settles the question the survey asks, so the metro is counted as none found. |
| Tucson | Unconfirmed | Arizona IDA Home Plus, statewide, up to 5% of the loan as a forgivable second. Same reading as Phoenix: the program’s FAQ does not state 2-4 unit eligibility and refers multi-unit questions to the lender, so this is unconfirmed rather than a no (September 2026) |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk | None found | Virginia DHCD HOMEownership Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA). Up to $40,000 (10-15% of price plus up to $2,500 closing costs) for buyers at or below 80% AMI. Not usable for buying a whole two-to-four-unit building. The published guidelines allow a unit in a duplex, triplex or fourplex only if it is sold and deeded on its own and you will not own the other units as rentals, and DHCD confirmed in writing (Cheri Miles, Program Manager, 5 October 2026): “The down payment assistance would be available for the one unit. DPA is not available if the homeowner is purchasing the entire building.” An August 2026 email had suggested a whole duplex could qualify; the October answer settles the question the survey asks, so the metro is counted as none found. |
| Wichita | None found | KHRC First Time Homebuyer Program. Eligible property types are single-family, condominium, townhome or one half of a duplex; a whole 2-4 unit building is not eligible. Confirmed in writing by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, August 2026 |
Which metros offer the most down payment assistance
- New York – $100,000, NYC HPD HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program
- Seattle – 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan, WSHFC Home Advantage DPA (second mortgage)
- Los Angeles – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority)
- Sacramento – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select)
- San Diego – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select)
- San Francisco – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select)
- San Jose – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide JPA, program overview; 5.5% is the Assist-to-Own tier for GSFA member-county employees, otherwise up to 5% on Standard/Select)
- Oxnard – up to 5.5% of the loan, GSFA Platinum (statewide joint powers authority)
How I did this, and where it is weak
Being straight about the limits matters more here than usual, because the most valuable claim on this page is a negative one, and a negative claim is the easiest kind to get wrong.
What I did. For each of 83 metro areas I looked at the state housing finance agency, then city and county programs, then federal FHLBank district programs, then statewide or multi-jurisdiction vehicles such as joint powers authorities. For each I read the property eligibility rules and recorded the best program that permits two-to-four unit properties.
“I found none” is not “none exists.” Every zero on this page means I could not find a qualifying program, not that I can prove none exists. I have made that mistake before: an earlier version of my California research concluded that only one program in the entire state allowed 2-4 units, and a reader found a counterexample within a day. That correction is why this page is worded the way it is.
These figures go stale. Program terms, funding and eligibility change without announcement. I checked every figure in July 2026 and corrected some through September 2026; where a row names a month, that is when I last checked it. Confirm with the program before you rely on it.
I am not a lender, a broker or a housing counsellor, and this is not financial advice. It is a record of what public program documents said on the date I read them.
Download the full dataset
Every metro checked here is downloadable: all 83, each with the program name, its advertised maximum assistance and a link to the source I read. That source is the agency itself or its program administrator in all but four metros: Portland ME, where it is a third-party summary; Seattle, where it is a lender’s page; and Jacksonville and Tampa, where it is the program’s marketing site.
A usable program was found in 69 metros and none in 14, four of which could not be confirmed either way, which is recorded as unknown rather than as a no. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.
Download the CSV · Download the JSON
Archived with a permanent DOI so it can be cited in academic and policy work: 10.5281/zenodo.22019630. Suggested citation: VanToVault, Down payment assistance for two-to-four unit owner-occupied purchase, 83 US metros, 2026. DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22019630
Both of my public datasets, with licenses, DOIs and citation lines, are listed together on the open data page.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use down payment assistance to buy a duplex?
Down payment assistance can be used on a duplex only when the individual program’s property rules permit two-to-four unit buildings; the answer depends on the program, not the buyer.
Of 83 metro areas checked in July 2026, most had at least one program permitting two-to-four unit properties and a minority had none that I could find.
FHA and Fannie Mae both allow one-to-four unit properties for owner-occupants, so programs that defer to those rules tend to permit a duplex, while programs that write their own property rules often restrict it to single-family homes.
Which city offers the most down payment assistance for a multi-unit home?
New York City offers the most down payment assistance usable on a multi-unit home of the 83 metros checked, through the HPD HomeFirst program at up to $100,000. Seattle and the California metros publish their assistance as a percentage of the loan instead: Washington offers 3%, 4% or 5%, and the Golden State Finance Authority up to 5.5% of a first mortgage of no more than $832,750, so neither reaches $100,000.[S20]
Why does my state’s housing agency not allow a duplex?
State housing finance agencies set their own property eligibility rules and many limit assistance to single-family homes, sometimes with explicit language barring rental use. Other public bodies, such as joint powers authorities and county housing finance corporations, often defer to FHA or Fannie Mae rules instead, and those permit one-to-four unit owner-occupied properties.
Does down payment assistance have to be repaid?
Repayment of down payment assistance depends on its structure. Some assistance is a grant that is never repaid, some is a forgivable loan that is written off after a set number of years in the home, and some is a repayable second mortgage with its own monthly payment. The table above records the best usable amount by program; check the structure with the program before assuming it is free money.
Keep going
The metro you buy in decides more than the assistance does. The Foothold Index screens 83 metros and ranks the 11 where a first 2-4 unit purchase is realistic on a normal income, as of its August 2026 edition, and the 2026 duplex markets index shows where owning a duplex beats renting today. When you have a building in mind, run the numbers in the free House Hacking Calculator.
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Sources
- [S1] Van to Vault, read 24 September 2026: “id":4687 … "modified":"2026-09-09T08:56:29" … "source_url":"https://vantovault.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/vantovault-dpa-83-metros-v4-1.csv” vantovault.com.
- [S2] Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA), read 24 September 2026: “(from the CSV row) 'The maximum amount for the second mortgage loan is 5% of the home's purchase price.'” www.nifa.org.
- [S3] Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), HOME DPA Program – Revised October 2024 (PDF dated 2025-06-24); pilot guidelines published May 5, 2025, read 24 September 2026: “Duplex, Triplex and Fourplex are permitted as long as the unit receiving HOME DPA assistance is individually sold and deeded, will be the primary residence of the homebuyer, and the homebuyer will not own any other units as rentals in that building." / "At…” www.dhcd.virginia.gov.
- [S4] Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), My First Texas Home program matrix, checked September 2026: assistance of 2% to 5% of the loan amount. welcomehome.tdhca.texas.gov.
- [S5] Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA), Platinum program page, checked September 2026: assistance of up to 5.5% of the loan toward the down payment and/or closing costs, with no flat dollar cap published. gsfahome.org.
- [S6] Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC), read 24 September 2026: “If you qualify for TSAHC programs, you may be able to receive up to 5% of your loan amount to help pay for your down payment and/or closing costs through a participating lender.” www.tsahc.org.
- [S7] Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), read 24 September 2026: “A 100% forgivable second loan equal to 4% of the total mortgage amount to help with down payment and closing costs"; "The MHDC DPA 2nd mortgage amount is exactly 4% of the first loan” mhdc.com.
- [S8] Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), Revised 3/11/2026, read 24 September 2026: “Eligible properties include: • Properties located within the state of Missouri only • Single-Family detached • Owner-Occupied one- or two-unit duplexes • Semi-Detached • Condominiums • Town Homes …” mhdc.com.
- [S9] City of Detroit, Revised 6/2024 (PDF created 2024-06-26), read 24 September 2026: “You must purchase a 1–2-unit property in the City of Detroit as your primary residence and plan for it to remain as your primary residence for the next 3 years.” detroitmi.gov.
- [S10] Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA), read 24 September 2026: “Each property may contain up to two connected dwelling units (i.e., duplex, townhouse), one of which must be owner-occupied.” www.ura.org.
- [S11] Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), ALL-PROGRAMS MATRIX – MARCH 2026 (PDF created 2026-02-26), read 24 September 2026: “Single Family owner-occupied primary residence (1 – 2 units only, condo, townhouse, community land trust) on less than 5 acres, No Manufactured” www.ihdamortgage.org.
- [S12] Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), Revision: September 2025 – DREAM Govt (PDF modified 2026-08-03), read 24 September 2026: “1 – Unit & 2 – Unit Properties"; "3.50% Down Payment Assistance"; "DPA calculated on Total Loan Amount (Note Amount).” www.ohfa.org.
- [S13] Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), read 24 September 2026: “The property must be a single-family home or duplex located in Philadelphia (no condominiums).” phdcphila.org.
- [S14] Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA), read 24 September 2026: “Maximum loan amount is 6% of the purchase price when partnered with a WHEDA Conventional first mortgage loan"; "Maximum loan amount is 6% of the purchase price when partnered with a WHEDA FHA first mortgage loan” www.wheda.com.
- [S15] DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), page modified 2025-12-04; lender manual PDF 2026-02-09 (header 'November 2025'), read 24 September 2026: “If you qualify, you can obtain a DPAL for the full amount of your required minimum down payment.” dchfa.org.
- [S16] Utah Housing Corporation, UHC Form 300 Rev 07/06/2026, read 24 September 2026: “Up to 6% of the first mortgage loan amount listed on the First Note (which may include FHA upfront MIP on FHA first mortgage). Not to exceed $27,500.” utahhousingcorp.org.
- [S17] Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA), read 24 September 2026: “The maximum amount for the second mortgage loan is 5% of the home's purchase price. The term of the second mortgage loan is 120 months or 10 years. The interest rate on the second mortgage loan is 1%." ; Build Home…” www.nifa.org.
- [S18] heretohome.org, read 24 September 2026: “Offers 3%, 4%, or 5% of the first-mortgage loan amount in downpayment assistance at 0% interest.” heretohome.org.
- [S19] dogvxws799i6n.cloudfront.net, read 24 September 2026: “Single Family 1-4 unit (1 must be owner occupied), condos, PUD, townhomes, HUD approved manufactured homes"; "the loan amount is up to 5% of the sales price (maximum loan amount of $15,000)” dogvxws799i6n.cloudfront.net.
- [S20] Golden State Finance Authority (GSFA), Platinum program page, checked September 2026: no purchase price limit; a maximum first-mortgage loan of $832,750 applies. gsfahome.org.
- [S21] Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), My First Texas Home program matrix (published 17 August 2026), checked September 2026. welcomehome.tdhca.texas.gov.
- [S22] Florida Housing Finance Corporation, undated page, read 24 September 2026: “Borrowers can receive up to 5% of the total first mortgage loan amount (maximum of $35,000/minimum of $10,000)" … "A person employed full-time by a Florida-based employer as a health care worker, school staff member, first responder, public safety or…” www.floridahousing.org.
- [S23] www.homesweethomeprogram.com, undated page, read 24 September 2026: “The HFA of Jacksonville (Duval County) offers up to $20,000" … "The HFA of Hillsborough offers up to $25,000" … "2-3-4-unit properties that are at least 5 years old." … "Buyers and their spouses (occupant and non-occupant) must be first time…” www.homesweethomeprogram.com.
- [S24] Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA), undated page, read 24 September 2026: “OHFA Down Payment Assistance allows homebuyers to choose 3% for conventional loans or 3.5% for government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) of the home's purchase price.” myohiohome.org.
- [S25] Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Hometown Heroes program page, checked September 2026: up to 5% of the first mortgage, with a $35,000 maximum and a $10,000 minimum. www.floridahousing.org.
- [S26] Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, ‘Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program’, read 24 September 2026: “Each property may contain up to two connected dwelling units (i.e., duplex, townhouse), one of which must be owner-occupied.” www.ura.org.
- [S27] Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Maryland Mortgage Program Compliance Manual (updated 28 January 2026), section 2.10(F) “Ineligible Residences”, read as PDF page 32 on 4 October 2026: “3. Rental homes or any home a portion of which is to be rented. 4. Investment homes.” Section 2.10(E) limits eligible residences to single-unit homes, including one half of a duplex. mmp.maryland.gov.
- [S28] metroDPA, Program Guide (US Bank edition), revised 06/10/26, read as PDF pages 6 and 10 on 4 October 2026: assistance “may be 3% or 4% of the Note amount, in the form of a 30-year deferred second mortgage”; Denver income limit $216,000 for FHA, USDA and VA loans and conventional above 80% AMI, $115,200 for conventional at or below 80% AMI, effective 05/01/26. ehousingplus.com (PDF).
- [S29] Utah Housing Corporation, UHC Form 300 (Rev. 07/06/2026), read as PDF pages 2, 4, 5 and 7 on 4 October 2026: FHA/VA Mortgage column “One-two unit owner-occupied”; HFA Advantage column “2-to-4-unit properties”; “700 for 2-to-4-unit properties”; “95% maximum LTV for loans with non-occupant co-borrower(s), and/or 2-to-4-unit properties”; Traditional DPA “30-year fixed-rate loan … 1% above the Utah Housing First Mortgage rate”; Deferred DPA “3.5% deferred simple interest … No monthly payment required”. utahhousingcorp.org.
- [S30] Tennessee Housing Development Agency, Originating Agents Guide, current revision, read as PDF page 12 on 4 October 2026: Great Choice Plus Payment option “at an interest rate the same as the first mortgage, monthly payments amortized over a 30-year term, and the loan amount is up to 5% of the sales price (maximum loan amount of $15,000)”; No-Payment options $6,000 and $10,000; “Max Acquisition Cost $500,000”. thda.org (PDF).
- [S31] WHEDA, Available Programs page, read 4 October 2026: conventional “No requirement for Borrower funds on any property type except 2-4 unit which requires Borrower funds of 3% of purchase price and 6 months reserves”; Easy Close Advantage “10-year fixed rate second mortgage with monthly payment”, “Interest rate is same as first mortgage”. www.wheda.com.
- [S32] Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, Lender Guidelines 4.2 “Qualifying Residences and Mortgage Loans”, read 4 October 2026: “Existing 2, 3 or 4-unit property, provided that one of the units will be occupied by the borrower and the property has been occupied for residential purposes for at least 5 years”; “(Fannie Mae only with LTV < 95%; 3% borrower’s own funds required)”. kb.tsahc.org.
Revised 4 October 2026: Baltimore moved to “None found” (MMP’s manual excludes homes with a rented portion); Denver’s metroDPA amount corrected to 3% or 4%; Salt Lake City’s FHA/VA duplex eligibility corrected; repayment terms and conditions added for Tennessee, Wisconsin and Texas; the counts (72 found, 11 none or unconfirmed) and the median where a dollar maximum is published ($17,500 over 36 programs) recomputed. Dataset edition v4.2.
Revised 4 October 2026, second pass, after Audit 2.0 of the same day: El Paso moves from the city program (its sheet covers one unit in a 2-4-unit property) to the statewide TDHCA route; Richmond and Virginia Beach-Norfolk move to unconfirmed, because the DHCD guideline excludes owning the other units as rentals and the August email does not address renting them (DHCD re-asked); Allentown, Harrisburg and Scranton confirmed for two units from PHFA’s First Mortgage Programs Overview (March 2026); the chart is redrawn from the dataset. Counts 69 found, 14 none or unconfirmed; median $17,500 over 32 programs. Dataset edition v4.4. Revised 5 October 2026, after Audit 5.0: Grand Rapids moves to unconfirmed — MSHDA does not state two-to-four-unit eligibility and participating lenders describe single-family, condominium and manufactured homes only. Revised 6 October 2026: Richmond and Virginia Beach-Norfolk move from unconfirmed to none found. DHCD answered the follow-up in writing on 5 October 2026 (Cheri Miles, Program Manager): “DPA is not available if the homeowner is purchasing the entire building.” Counts 69 found, 14 none or unconfirmed (10 none found, 4 unconfirmed); median $17,500 over 32 programs, unchanged. Dataset edition v4.5.