Harris County Down Payment Assistance (DAP), 2026
Up to $40,000 as a forgivable second lien for first time buyers whose home sits outside the Houston city limits, in a qualified census tract. Read from the county's 2026 fact sheet.
Harris County's Down Payment Assistance Program gives qualifying first time buyers up to $40,000 for a home in unincorporated Harris County. It is a silent second lien with no payments, repaid only if you sell, rent out, transfer or refinance during a 5 year (under $25,000) or 10 year ($25,000 to $40,000) affordability period. Household income must be at or below 80% of area median income, the price cap is $285,000 for an existing home or $296,000 for new construction, and the minimum credit score is 580.
The 2026 terms, from the county fact sheet
| Amount | Up to $40,000 per household (program year 2026, effective November 18, 2025, raised from $23,800). The cap includes required eligibility items: a 3 year home warranty up to $1,800, one year of flood insurance up to $3,000, one year of homeowner insurance with wind and hail up to $5,700, an elevation certificate up to $500, HOA coverage up to $1,500, and the title policy. After the maximum of those items, about $27,100 is available for down payment, prepaids and closing costs. |
| Structure | Forgivable silent second lien. No payments. Due only on default, sale, rental, transfer or refinance during the affordability period: 5 years for awards under $25,000, 10 years for $25,000 to $40,000. |
| Income limit | Household income at or below 80% of HUD area median income. See the table below. |
| Price cap | $285,000 existing home, $296,000 newly built home. |
| Credit and ratios | 580 minimum score. Front end 39%, back end 42%. Liquid assets no more than $30,000. $1,000 minimum buyer contribution. |
| Buyer status | First time buyer. U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Primary residence for the whole affordability period. |
| Where | Unincorporated Harris County in a qualified census tract, per the county's two online maps. The City of Houston runs a separate program. Whether a small incorporated city inside Harris County is covered is decided by the service area map, not by this page. |
| Property | Single family detached, condominium or townhouse, existing or new, meeting the county's minimum property standards. |
| Education | HUD approved 8 hour homeownership course plus a budget worksheet. |
2026 household income limits
| Household size | 80% AMI limit (2026) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $58,250 |
| 2 people | $66,600 |
| 3 people | $74,900 |
| 4 people | $83,200 |
| 5 people | $89,900 |
| 6 people | $96,550 |
| 7 people | $103,200 |
| 8 people | $109,850 |
HUD FY2026 income limits for the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, effective June 1, 2026. Household income counts everyone in the home, not only the people on the loan.
How it stacks with other help
The county does not publish whether its second lien may sit behind another program's second lien, so treat layering as a question for the county, not a plan. What does work cleanly is the first mortgage choice: FHA at 3.5% down leaves the county money for closing costs and prepaids, and a seller concession of up to 6% on FHA can cover what the county award does not reach. See closing cost help for the concession caps by loan type.
Buyers who miss the county's price cap or the unincorporated rule usually still fit TSAHC, which has a $156,000 income limit and no first time buyer rule, or SETH 5 Star.
How to apply
- Check the two maps. The home must be in the county's service area (unincorporated Harris County, not the City of Houston) and in a qualified census tract. The county publishes both maps; an address either passes or it does not.
- Take the 8 hour homebuyer course. A HUD approved homeownership education course and a budget worksheet are required before the county funds anything.
- Apply through a DAP participating lender. The county publishes its lender list (December 2025 version). InSync structures the first mortgage and the county second lien together; the county's lending services team is at 832-927-4955.
- Bring the minimum contribution. $1,000 of your own money, liquid assets of no more than $30,000, and a front end ratio at or below 39% with a back end ratio at or below 42%.
- Close with the county's second lien. The award is sized to what you need for affordable ownership, not a flat $40,000, and the affordability period starts at closing.
Where these numbers come from
Sources, read September 3, 2026
- https://hcd.harriscountytx.gov/Residents/Homeownership-Programs/Down-Payment-Assistance
- https://hcd.harriscountytx.gov/Portals/hcd/Documents/Down%20Payment%20Assistance/Combine%20DAP%20Fact%20Sheet%20English-Spanish%202026_V3.pdf
- https://hcd.harriscountytx.gov/Portals/hcd/Documents/Down%20Payment%20Assistance/DAP%202021%20Guidebook.pdf
- https://hcd.harriscountytx.gov/Portals/hcd/Documents/Down%20Payment%20Assistance/DAP%20Participating%20Mortgage%20Lenders%2012.2025.pdf
Program terms change with funding and with each guideline revision. The program's own document controls; this page records what it said on the date above. Where a program does not publish a term, this page says so.
Questions buyers ask
How much down payment assistance does Harris County give in 2026?
Up to $40,000 per qualifying household for program year 2026, up from $23,800. The cap includes required insurance, warranty and title items, so the amount available for down payment and closing costs after those is about $27,100. The county funds only what a household needs, not a flat amount.
Is the Harris County DAP a grant or a loan?
A forgivable second lien, sometimes called a silent second. There are no monthly payments. It is repaid only if you sell, rent out, transfer or refinance the home during the affordability period, which is 5 years for awards under $25,000 and 10 years for awards of $25,000 to $40,000.
What are the Harris County DAP income limits?
Household income at or below 80% of the HUD area median income for the Houston metro. For 2026 that is $58,250 for one person, $66,600 for two, $74,900 for three, $83,200 for four, $89,900 for five, $96,550 for six, $103,200 for seven and $109,850 for eight.
Does the Harris County program work inside the City of Houston?
No. It covers unincorporated Harris County, and the home must also be in a qualified census tract on the county's map. Homes inside the Houston city limits fall under the City of Houston Homebuyer Assistance Program, which is a separate program with its own rules.
What credit score do I need for Harris County down payment assistance?
580, with a front end ratio no higher than 39% and a back end ratio no higher than 42%. Your first mortgage lender applies its own minimums on top of that.
What is the purchase price limit for Harris County DAP?
$285,000 for an existing home and $296,000 for a newly built home, per the county's 2026 fact sheet.
Confirm it in one call
The checker reads the published limits. A short call confirms which program fits your address, your household and your timeline, and what it does to your cash to close.
Run the checker above Book 15 minutes with Ben
InSync Homes and Loans. Ben Helstein, Texas real estate broker and mortgage loan originator, NMLS #1577314. InSync Loans NMLS #1829321. Equal Housing Opportunity. Nothing on this page is a commitment to lend or a guarantee of terms; every loan is subject to lender underwriting, property review, and credit approval. Cap rate estimates are screens built from public listing data and market rents, not appraisals.