CalHome Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program
What are Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs?
Down Payment Assistance (DPA) programs provide financial support to help homebuyers cover the upfront costs of purchasing a home—most commonly the down payment, and sometimes closing costs as well. These programs are designed to reduce one of the biggest barriers to homeownership and are offered by government agencies, nonprofits, and some lenders.
Photos: Artist Flee Kieselhorst moving in by C Wagner Photography
About the CalHome DPA Program
Currently, Artist Space Trust (AST), in partnership with Northern California Land Trust (NCLT), offers CalHome Down Payment Assistance (DPA) funded through the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). CalHome DPA is designed to help lower-income, first-time homebuyers purchase homes (single-family home, townhome, or condominium) in Alameda County. This low-interest second mortgage requires no monthly payments. CalHome DPA covers 40% of the purchase price up to $200,000 and will be paid back in full when the home sells in the future.
As of December 2025, AST has provided more than half a million in down payment assistance to low-income artists in the Bay Area. AST still has up to 1.5 Million dollars available in CalHome DPA for qualifying artists looking to become first-time homeowners in Alameda County before the end of 2026.
Who is Eligible?
Our CalHome DPA program requires applicants meet the following criteria:
Be a first-time homebuyer (definition)
Be an artist with an active practice
Meet income limits (household income must be at 80% Area Median Income or below)
Complete a HUD-approved Homebuyer’s Workshop (free through Richmond Neighborhood Services or self-paced online through eHome America)
Receive, from a credible lender, a mortgage pre-approval letter to start, and eventually a mortgage loan to purchase
Have 3% of the purchase price as a down payment
Buy in the target area (Alameda County)
To Start the Process
1. Review full program details via NCLT’s Housing Page
2. Attend an AST CalHome info session (when available)
3. Fill out the NCLT CalHome DPA screening form, and make sure to indicate that you are an artist with an active creative practice. All program requirements are the same for artists and non-artists, however Artist Space Trust will request additional details about your artistic practice as part of your application process.
Flee Kieselhorst, CalHome Down Payment Assistance Recipient
“I’m a single woman, raising a child, and running a successful creative business - and now I own a house! I’m so proud of myself. I’ve built a life that focuses on what really matters.”
— Flee Kieselhorst, fotosbyflee.com
