CalHFA - School Facility Fee Down Payment Assistance Program

CalHFA offers the SFF program which provides a conditional grant for qualified buyers of newly constructed homes in California. This conditional grant can be added to the borrower’s down payment, assist with closing costs or any costs associated with the buyer’s first mortgage loan.
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How The Program Works

The SFF program provides qualified homebuyers with a partial or full rebate of the school facility fees paid by the home builder. While the amount varies according to school district and square footage of the home, the average rebate is approximately $4,700*. The assistance is in the form of a conditional grant, not a loan. If the buyer occupies their home for five years, the full amount of the grant is forgiven. If the home is owner-occupied less than five years, the grant must be repaid on a pro rata basis. Borrowers must complete a separate SFF application during their loan application process.

Homebuyers may choose from one of two programs. They should select the program that will benefit them the most.

Program Elements

	PROGRAM 1: ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREA	PROGRAM 2: FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER - MODERATE INCOME LIMITS
First-Time Homebuyer	Not Applicable	Borrower must be a first-time homebuyer purchasing a primary residence.
Income Limits	Not Applicable	Refer to HCD moderate income limits established for the county in which the borrower is purchasing.
Sales Price Limits	Refer to CalHFA’s published SFF sales price limits (see chart below).	Not Applicable
Occupancy	Intend to occupy home for five years	Intend to occupy home for five years
Citizenship	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
Property Requirements	Purchase a newly constructed home in a designated county Building permit issued 1/2002 or later Manufactured housing must meet eligibility requirements	Purchase a newly constructed home Building permit issued 1/2002 or later Manufactured housing must meet eligibility requirements
Participating Lenders	Can be accessed by any lender or directly by the homebuyer.	Can be accessed by any lender or directly by the homebuyer.
Other Requirements	Other program requirements may apply; please contact CalHFA for more details. There is no processing fee to apply for assistance under the School Facility Fee Down Payment Assistance Program.	Other program requirements may apply; please contact CalHFA for more details. There is no processing fee to apply for assistance under the School Facility Fee Down Payment Assistance Program.

* Program 1 eligible counties and sales price limits:

County	Sales Price Limits
Butte	$491,257
Fresno	$454,650
Imperial	$359,188
Kern	$400,225
Kings	$332,115
Madera	$381,675
Merced	$494,725
Monterey	$492,650
San Joaquin	$680,488
Shasta	$467,163
Stanislaus	$604,363
Tulare	$376,688

For More Information

To learn more about the SFF program,contact us at:

CalHFA Homeownership Division
P.O. Box 4034 , Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: 877.9.CalHFA
Email: homeownership@calhfa.ca.gov

*The amount of individual rebates will depend on various factors, including the amount of school facility fees paid by the home builder, the relevant school district, and the square footage of the home.

CalHFA does not lend money directly to consumers. CalHFA works through and uses approved private lenders to qualify consumers and to make all mortgage loans. CalHFA purchases closed loans that meet CalHFA's requirements. The fees consumers pay could be different depending on the lender and the program. View the sample Truth in Lending disclosure here .