If you want to buy a house with low income in New York, there is help available to you! There are many programs that will assist you with tax reductions, down payment assistance and so much more!
Get more help buying a house with low income here!
Since there are several different types of assistance for low income home buyers in New York, we’ve tried to organize this list by type as much as possible.
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New York has awesome programs for first time home buyers!
is a program for low income first time home buyers by SONYMA. This program offers a very low fixed interest rate and down payment assistance.
Graduate to Home Ownershipis part of Governor Cuomo’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative. This program offers low interest rates, down payment assistance and homebuyers education classes. It is available in eight New York counties.
Down payment assistance is provided in the form of a loan for $3,000 or 15 percent of the home’s purchase price, whichever is greater. The maximum down payment assistance loan is $15,000. This loan has no extra fees.
This program is available to qualified first-time home buyers who graduated an accredited college or university within the last 48 months. Graduates of associates, bachelors, masters and doctorate programs qualify.
However, the home you purchase must be located in one of the following DRI-designated communities:
- Jamestown (Western NY)
- Geneva (Finger Lakes)
- Elmira (Southern Tier)
- Oswego (Central NY)
- Oneonta (Mohawk Valley)
- Plattsburgh (North Country)
- Glens Falls (Capital Region)
- Middletown (Mid-Hudson)
Homes for Veteransis a special program for US veterans and active duty military members. This program provides down payment assistance and may assist with necessary renovations also. Get the details on the New York State Homes and Community Renewal website.
HomeSmartNYhas partnered with eHome America to provide homebuyer education courses to first time home buyers in New York.
Some NY communities offer even more benefits!
There are community-based programs for first time home buyers throughout New York state. For your convenience, we’ve divided these resources into four major geographic areas: New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley and Upstate New York.
New York City
Asian Americans for Equalityprovides several programs for eligible first time home buyers. You could receive up to $15,000 from the Home First Program and/or $75,000 from the Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Loan. You could also receive up to $7,500 in matching funds from First Home Club.
Margert Community Corporationprovides homebuyer education, down payment and closing cost assistance programs. They serve all five NYC boroughs and Long Island. Their programs include the NYC HPD HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program (up to $25,000), the MCC First Home Program (up to $40,000), the SONYMA Neighborhood Revitalization Program (up to $60,000) and the First Home Club (up to $7,500).
Neighborhood Housing Services of New York City, Inc.serves all five boroughs of New York City. They can assist you with free homebuyers education courses, one-on-one counseling, and up to $20,000 in down payment assistance through the NeighborhoodLIFT Program.
Neighbors Helping Neighborsprovides assistance for low and moderate income households. They host one-day homebuying seminars, provide one-on-one financial counseling and access to down payment assistance programs.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Brooklynprovides seminars, one-on-one counseling, homeownership courses, credit scores and access to down payment assistance.
Long Island
Community Development Corporation of Long Islandoffers assistance with affordable homes on Long Island. The agency acquires abandoned and foreclosed properties, fixes them up to a high standard and then makes them available for sale to eligible first time home buyers.
Long Island Housing Partnershipprovides down payment grants and mortgage counseling programs. They provide a First Home Club program, first time home buyers program, and down payment assistance.
Margert Community Corporationprovides homebuyer education, down payment and closing cost assistance programs. They serve all five NYC boroughs and Long Island. Their programs include the NYC HPD HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program (up to $25,000), the MCC First Home Program (up to $40,000), the SONYMA Neighborhood Revitalization Program (up to $60,000) and the First Home Club (up to $7,500).
Hudson Valley
Rural Ulster Preservation Companyhelps first-time home buyers with many different services, including a free individual mortgage readiness analysis, matched savings program, Section 8 homebuyer program and grants to help you purchase your home.
Westchester Residential Opportunities Inc.is a non-profit organization that provides services such as accelerated home buyers education, first-time homebuyer programs, grants and more.
Upstate New York
Affordable Housing Partnershipwill help you purchase your home. You’ll need to pay a $25 appointment fee to cover the cost of your credit report and other materials. However, they’ll help you save for your home, find a homebuyer course, coordinate down payment assistance and more!
Albany County Rural Housing Alliance Inc.provides first time homebuyer education, matched savings programs and a HOME down payment assistance program of up to $27,300!
Belmont Shelter Corporationhelps residents of Buffalo, North Tonawanda and other municipalities purchase affordable homes. They rehabilitate and sell affordable homes. They also offer homebuyer education, Section 8 vouchers and an awesome Family Self-Sufficiency Program.
Better Neighborhoods Inc.serves the Schenectady area with a matched savings programs ($4 for every $1 you save!) and SONYMA mortgage packages. Their website also features offer affordable home listings.
Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundationhelps families across 13 counties obtain home ownership. They provide housing counseling, closing cost assistance and other services to help people make their dream of home ownership come true!
Cayuga County Homsite Development Corporationcan help with up to $3,000 toward your down payment and closing costs. They also provide a home ownership orientation and help for Section 8 Homebuyers.
Center City Neighborhood Development Corp.hosts a housing counseling service, home improvement program and more for residents of the Center City area of Niagara Falls.
Community Action of Madison Countyoffers a plethora of helpful services to low and moderate income families in Madison County. In addition to special programs for new moms, youth and kinship caregivers, they also offer housing resources!
Community Action in Self Help Inc.serves Wayne County and a few select towns in Ontario County. This agency assists with homebuyer education classes, rental counseling, foreclosure prevention, lead testing, Section 8 and so much more.
Cortland Housing Assistance Councilprovides home ownership programs for first time home buyers. They also provide housing counseling and home modification programs for disabled buyers.
Home Headquartersprovides loans of up to $3,000 to assist with closing costs for homes located in the City of Syracuse or the counties of Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, Cortland, Madison or Jefferson. Low income borrowers who purchase a qualifying home within the City of Syracuse do not have to pay the loan back.
Homeownership Centerfeatures financial coaching, homebuyer assistance programs and more. They offer down payment assistance through several programs. For example, you could receive a forgivable loan of up to $6,500 from West Utica Down Payment Assistance or $20,500 from City of Utica Down Payment Assistance programs. They also have generous down payment assistance programs for Oneida and Madison County residents.
Housing Assistance Program of Essex Countyprovides a Section 8 program, home repair program and home buying assistance to residents of Essex and Clinton counties. The home buying assistance is a subsidy that can be used to pay for reasonable closing costs, repairs, lead-based paint correction or reduction of the mortgage principal.
Ithica Neighborhood Housing Servicesprovides home buyer education, renovated homes and financial assistance to help with down payment and closing costs. They also assist with home repairs and renter’s issues.
NeighborWorks Rochester provides expert guidance to first time homebuyers in the Rochester area. The Resource Center helps answer buyers’ questions, coordinates homebuyer orientations and can even provide $7,500 toward your down payment through the First Home Club.
Quaranta Housing Servicescoordinates Head Start, WIC and several housing programs. This agency is part of the NeighborWorks community of services. They assist with Section 8, first-time home buyers assistance programs, housing counseling, West End Mobile Home Sales and rehabilitation/repair programs.
West Side Neighborhood Housing Services Inc.provides many homebuyer services, including homebuyer education, orientation, credit counseling, down payment and closing cost assistance and more. A special program, called UB HOME or University at Buffalo Home Ownership Made Easy, helps faculty and staff at the State University of New York at Buffalo purchase a home in certain campus-area neighborhoods.
Western Catskills Community RevitalizationCouncil Inc. provides financial counseling for aspiring home buyers in select areas of Delaware County, Greene County and Schoharie County. They also provide online home buyers courses and grants for down payment assistance when funds allow.
Don’t miss these resources for ALL first time home buyers in the US!
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises.Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.
