Down Payment Assistance Programs for San Diego Buyers: What Exists and Who Qualifies

by Trevor Landress

San Diego buyers have three main public sources of down payment help: CalHFA, the County of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission, which runs a program for the City of San Diego. Each has its own income limit, price cap and rules, and the numbers below are what each agency's page listed at the time this article was written.

The short answer

CalHFA's MyHome is a deferred-payment second loan of up to 3.5% (FHA) or 3% (conventional) of the price or appraised value.
The County of San Diego program offers up to 22% of the price for a down payment and up to 4% for closing costs, capped at $10,000.
The City of San Diego Middle-Income Program offers a $40,000 loan plus a $10,000 closing cost grant.
Every program has limits on income, price and location, and most require a homebuyer education course.

CalHFA programs

CalHFA offers 30-year fixed-rate first mortgages, including FHA, VA, USDA and conventional versions, and pairs them with assistance. Its page describes these assistance types:

MyHome: a deferred-payment junior loan, often called a silent second. No payments are due until the home is sold, refinanced or paid off. On FHA loans it is up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value, and on conventional loans up to the lesser of 3% of those values.
Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan: for first-generation homebuyers, used with the Dream For All conventional first mortgage. When the home is sold, transferred or paid off, you repay the original amount plus a share of the home's appreciation.
ZIP: the Zero Interest Program for closing costs, paired with CalPLUS loans.

CalHFA requires homebuyer education. Its page names an online eight-hour course, which cost $100 at the time this article was written, and live courses through NeighborWorks America or a HUD-approved housing counseling agency. The page does not list income limits or credit minimums, so use CalHFA's eligibility tool or a participating lender to check them.

San Diego County Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance

The County's page describes a low-interest deferred loan of up to 22% of the purchase price for the down payment, plus up to 4% of the price for closing costs, capped at $10,000. No payments are due until you refinance, sell, pay off the first mortgage or stop living in the home. Repayment is one payment of the principal plus accrued interest.

Requirement	What the page listed
Buyer	Low-income, first-time buyer, no home owned in the last three years
Income	Not more than 80% of San Diego County Area Median Income
Price cap	$743,000, subject to periodic adjustment
Your own money	At least 3% of the purchase price
Use	Primary residence only
Education	A class from a CalHome or HUD-approved provider

As an example, on a $700,000 home the program could provide up to $154,000 for the down payment and up to $10,000 for closing costs (4% would be $28,000, so the cap applies), and you would put in at least $21,000. This is for illustration only. The page says the County program is administered by the San Diego Housing Commission, and you must first get a loan approval from a lender it has preapproved. The home must also be in an eligible area and pass an inspection.

City of San Diego programs through SDHC

The San Diego Housing Commission's page describes a Middle-Income Program for households between 80% and 150% of the area median income. At the time this article was written it listed:

Feature	Middle-Income Program
Down payment loan	$40,000, deferred, 4% simple interest
Closing cost grant	$10,000, forgiven after 3 years if the home stays owner-occupied
Maximum price	$1,250,000
Repayment	No payments in years 1 to 5, then a 120-month fixed payment loan
Area	Single-family homes, townhomes and condos in the City of San Diego

The page also describes a Low-Income Program under 80% of the area median income, with a closing cost grant of 4% of the price up to $10,000 and a price cap of $883,025 effective December 2025. The page lists two different percentages for that program's down payment loan, so confirm the amount with SDHC. Its first-time buyer loans cannot be combined with its Affordable For-Sale Housing Program.

How to get started

Pick the program that fits your income, price range and location.
Contact a lender on the agency's participating list. Rules and caps change, so ask for current numbers.
Take the required homebuyer education course early, since many programs require it before you use the funds.
Get a preapproval, as I describe in my preapproval guide.
Tell your agent about the program before you write an offer, because inspection and timing rules apply.

Assistance can affect your costs and your payment, so ask a lender to show you the numbers. My guide on how much down payment you need puts the programs in context.

What this guide cannot promise

Program funds, caps and rules change, and funding can run out. I cannot tell you whether you qualify. The agencies and their participating lenders make that decision, so confirm every number on the program page before you plan around it.

My advice for San Diego buyers

Check the price cap before you start touring homes.
Ask the lender how the assistance is repaid, and what it costs if you sell.
Take the homebuyer education course early.
Confirm current funding with the agency before you rely on a program.
Do not combine programs without asking, since some cannot be combined.

A note on advice

I am a REALTOR®, not a lender, attorney, tax professional or financial advisor, so this guide is general information. Your lender can tell you what you qualify for, and a CPA or attorney can answer tax and legal questions.

Call or text me at (619) 402-4614 or send me a message.

Call or text (619) 402-4614 Contact Trevor Landress

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

What is CalHFA MyHome?

It is a deferred-payment junior loan, often called a silent second, of up to 3.5% of the price or appraised value on FHA loans and up to 3% on conventional loans.

How much does the San Diego County program offer?

At the time this article was written, its page listed a deferred loan of up to 22% of the price for the down payment, plus up to 4% for closing costs capped at $10,000.

What is the price cap for the County program?

The page listed $743,000, subject to periodic adjustments.

What does the City of San Diego Middle-Income Program provide?

The San Diego Housing Commission's page listed a $40,000 deferred loan and a $10,000 closing cost grant, with a maximum price of $1,250,000.

Do I need a class to use these programs?

Most require homebuyer education. CalHFA and the County program both list a course requirement.

About the author

Trevor Landress is a San Diego REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker West (DRE# 02126901). He was born and raised in San Diego and has been licensed since 2021.

Trevor helps homeowners sell, guides first-time buyers through the home buying process and assists investors with their next acquisition. His work includes negotiating offers, analyzing market trends, building pricing strategies and running marketing campaigns for his listings.

He serves clients across San Diego County, from coastal communities like La Jolla, Del Mar and Carlsbad to neighborhoods inland.

Trevor is part of the Campbell Group, a three-generation real estate team, and he and the Campbell Group consistently rank as a top producing team at Coldwell Banker West each month. He writes these guides to help San Diego buyers and sellers navigate an ever-changing market. To talk through your plans, call or text (619) 402-4614 or contact Trevor Landress.

How I help San Diego home buyers

I help buyers sort out their budget, understand their loan options with a lender, search for homes, write and negotiate offers, keep track of inspection and contingency deadlines and stay organized through closing.

How I help San Diego home sellers

I help sellers price their home, prepare it for the market, market it to buyers, review and negotiate offers and manage the steps from an accepted offer to closing.