TSAHC Homes for Texas Heroes, 2026
The same TSAHC assistance as everyone else, up to 5% of the loan as a grant or forgivable lien, with a higher income limit ($176,800 in the Houston area), a free Mortgage Credit Certificate, and no first time buyer rule.
Homes for Texas Heroes is TSAHC's home loan program for Texans in eligible professions: full time public school teachers, teacher aides, librarians, counselors and school nurses; police and public security officers; firefighters and EMS personnel; corrections and juvenile corrections officers; veterans and active military; and nursing and allied health faculty. Heroes get 2%, 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan amount as a grant (government loans) or a 3 year forgivable second lien, a Houston area income limit of $176,800 instead of $156,000, and a free Mortgage Credit Certificate worth $500 in fees. There is no first time buyer requirement; the minimum score is 620 (640 on a conventional loan with the second lien).
The 2026 terms, from TSAHC's program pages and limits table
| Who counts | Full time public school teachers, teacher aides, librarians, counselors and nurses; police and public security officers; firefighters and EMS; veterans and active military; corrections and juvenile corrections officers; nursing and allied health faculty. |
| Amount | 2%, 3%, 4% or 5% of the total loan amount, borrower's choice. Can fund all of the cash to close: down payment, closing costs, prepaids and loan fees. Cannot pay down debts. |
| Structure | Grant on government loans (FHA, VA, USDA): no lien, not repaid unless the first mortgage is refinanced or paid off within six months of closing. Or a 3 year deferred forgivable second lien on any loan type: 0% interest, no payments, forgiven on the third anniversary, due if you sell, refinance or move out before then. |
| Income limit | $176,800 borrower income (170% of AMI) for Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty and Waller counties; $214,200 for Brazoria County. Any household size. Heroes table effective July 9, 2026. Conventional loans at or below 80% AMI use $84,080. |
| Price cap | None printed for assistance only loans. Bond and MCC loans: $566,354 non targeted, $692,211 targeted. |
| Credit score | 620 on government loans; 640 on HFA conventional loans with the second lien. |
| Buyer status | No first time buyer requirement. Principal residence. |
| MCC | Free for Heroes who use it with DPA (normally $500). First time buyers only. Non bond DPA may be combined with an MCC. |
| Education | TSAHC approved homebuyer course before closing. |
What the higher limit is worth
A two teacher household in Harris County earning a combined $165,000 is over the $156,000 Home Sweet Texas limit and under the $176,800 Heroes limit, so the Heroes tier is the difference between assistance and none. On a $380,000 purchase with an FHA loan the 5% option is roughly $18,300 toward cash to close. The checker above reads both tiers from your answers.
Heroes also stack with the local programs when the household fits their lower limits: Harris County outside the city, and the paused City of Houston HAP inside it. Whether TSAHC's lien may sit next to a county lien is a question for the county on each file. Full program detail on the TSAHC page.
How to apply
- Confirm the profession. TSAHC's Who is Eligible sheet lists the roles. A hero anywhere in the household who is on the loan qualifies the loan.
- Take TSAHC's eligibility quiz, then apply through a participating lender. Nothing is submitted to TSAHC directly. InSync is a TSAHC participating lender and reserves the assistance on the loan.
- Pick the assistance size and shape. 2%, 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan, as a grant on FHA, VA or USDA or as a 3 year forgivable second lien on any loan type including HFA conventional. The percentage moves the rate, so we price each.
- Add the free MCC if you are a first time buyer. The Mortgage Credit Certificate is free for Heroes who take it with DPA (a $500 savings) and returns a share of mortgage interest as a federal tax credit each year.
- Finish the homebuyer course before closing. A TSAHC approved course; then the assistance funds at closing toward down payment, closing costs, prepaids and loan fees.
Where these numbers come from
Sources, read September 3, 2026
- https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/loans-down-payment-assistance
- https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/homes-for-texas-heroes-program
- https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/home-sweet-texas-home-loan-program
- https://kb.tsahc.org/39170/kb/article/102806/33-assistance-options-nonbond-dpa-with-or-without-mcc-bond-dpa
- https://www.tsahc.org/public/upload/files/general/TSAHC_Combined_Income_Purchase_Price_Limits.pdf
- https://www.tsahc.org/public/upload/files/general/H4H_Who_is_Eligible_for_the_Program.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
Who qualifies for Homes for Texas Heroes?
Full time public school teachers, teacher aides, librarians, counselors and school nurses; police and public security officers; firefighters and EMS personnel; corrections and juvenile corrections officers; veterans and active military; and nursing and allied health faculty, per TSAHC's eligibility sheet.
How much down payment assistance do Texas teachers get?
Through Homes for Texas Heroes, 2%, 3%, 4% or 5% of the loan amount as a grant on an FHA, VA or USDA loan or as a 3 year forgivable second lien on any loan type. On a $380,000 purchase the 5% option is roughly $18,300.
What is the income limit for Homes for Texas Heroes in Houston?
$176,800 borrower income for Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty and Waller counties and $214,200 for Brazoria County, any household size, effective July 9, 2026. The general Home Sweet Texas limit is $156,000.
Do I have to be a first time buyer for the Heroes program?
No. Neither TSAHC program requires first time buyer status. The free Mortgage Credit Certificate that comes with the Heroes program is the one piece limited to first time buyers.
Is the Homes for Texas Heroes assistance a grant?
It can be. On government loans (FHA, VA, USDA) you can take it as a grant with no lien, repaid only if you refinance or pay off the first mortgage within six months of closing. On any loan type, including conventional, you can take it as a 3 year forgivable second lien instead.
Do veterans qualify for Homes for Texas Heroes?
Yes. Veterans and active military are on the eligibility list, and the assistance works with a VA loan, where it can cover closing costs and prepaids since VA requires no down payment.
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.