First-Time Home Buyer Programs in Chicago and Illinois: what each one pays and who qualifies.

Where first-time buyer help comes from in Chicago

Buyers in Chicago and the Cook County suburbs can look to three public sources of down payment and closing cost help:

• The State of Illinois, through the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA). Its Access programs work statewide.
• The City of Chicago, through the HomeGrown Purchase Assistance grant. It covers homes inside city limits only.
• Cook County, through the Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program. It covers homes anywhere in the county, which takes in Chicago plus suburbs like Evanston, Oak Park, Berwyn and Arlington Heights.

Each program has its own income limits, credit minimum, homebuyer course and repayment terms.

IHDA Access programs (statewide)

IHDA pairs a 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage with a second loan that covers part of your down payment and closing costs. As of this month, IHDA lists four versions. Source: IHDA, Getting an IHDA Loan.

Access Home

6% of the purchase price, up to $15,000. This one is an interest-free loan, and repayment waits until you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage. It is the only Access program limited to first-time buyers, though eligible veterans (with a COE or DD214) and buyers in an IHDA targeted area qualify too.

Access Forgivable

4% of the purchase price, up to $6,000, forgiven monthly over 10 years. If you sell within those 10 years, IHDA's FAQ says you repay a portion. Source: IHDA FAQs.

Access Deferred

5% of the purchase price, up to $7,500. It is also an interest-free loan, and you repay it when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage.

Access Repayable

10% of the purchase price, up to $10,000, as an interest-free loan repaid monthly over 10 years. You get more cash at closing, and you take on a second monthly payment for a decade.

Forgivable, Deferred and Repayable are open to first-time and repeat buyers in every Illinois county. All four programs share these rules, per IHDA:

• Minimum credit score of 640
• You put in $1,000 or 1% of the purchase price, whichever is greater
• Household income and purchase price limits, which vary by county
• The home must be your primary residence
• A homeownership education course before closing (online and in-person options exist)
• The loan has to go through an IHDA-approved lender

Chicago HomeGrown Purchase Assistance (city of Chicago)

HomeGrown is a grant for down payment and closing costs on homes inside the city. The amount depends on two things: your household income compared with area median income (AMI), and which zone the property sits in. Source: City of Chicago Department of Housing, HomeGrown.

Zone A covers neighborhoods where sale prices have risen sharply. Zone B covers low-income census tracts. The City's posted grant amounts:

• 80% of AMI and below: $70,000 in Zone A, $50,000 in Zone B
• 81 to 90% of AMI: $60,000 in Zone A, $40,000 in Zone B
• 91 to 100% of AMI: $50,000 in Zone A, $30,000 in Zone B
• 101 to 120% of AMI: $40,000 in Zone A, $20,000 in Zone B
• 121 to 150% of AMI: $10,000 in Zone A

The City's page has an address lookup that shows a property's zone. Run any address you're serious about through it before you write the offer. The rules that trip buyers up:

• You need a signed contract before you can apply, so the closing timeline has to leave room for the grant review.
• Only two agencies take applications: Neighborhood Lending Services (an NHS Chicago affiliate) and TRP Lending. You can use any Illinois-licensed lender for the mortgage, but the grant application goes through one of them.
• You contribute at least 1% of the purchase price from your own funds, and the grant can't exceed 25% of the price.
• You live in the home as your primary residence for five years. Co-signers aren't allowed.
• The grant can't pay for a rate buydown, PMI, an appraisal gap, or furnishings.
• Your place in the first-come, first-served queue starts only when the application is complete, documents included.

Cook County Down Payment Assistance Program (Chicago and the suburbs)

Cook County reopened its program on July 20, 2026, with a $2 million allocation for this third phase. Source: Cook County, July 20, 2026 announcement. The terms:

• 5% of the final first loan amount, up to $25,000
• Can go toward down payment, closing costs or an interest-rate buydown
• Structured as a second loan forgiven over five years
• Household income at or below 120% of AMI, which the County puts at $145,800 for a family of four. In Disproportionately Impacted Areas and Qualified Census Tracts, there's no income limit
• No first-time buyer requirement
• Minimum credit score of 620
• First-time buyers, meaning anyone who hasn't owned a home in three years, take a HUD-approved homebuyer course before closing
• Single-family homes, townhomes and condos all qualify

A $2 million pool doesn't last forever, and the County said it hopes to help just over 100 buyers with this round. Ask your lender whether funds are still available before you build an offer around it. The program's page on the County site shows its current status.

Can you combine programs?

Sometimes. HomeGrown's own rules expect other assistance in the deal; its 25% cap is measured "before any other purchase assistance is applied." Every layer still needs approval from the other programs and from whoever buys the first mortgage, and their rules on contribution, income and property type have to agree. We work that out before you make an offer.

Some of these programs fund only through participating lenders. We'll tell you up front which ones we can close and, for any we can't, who can.

Making an offer with assistance that a seller will take

When an offer uses assistance, the first thing a listing agent asks about is timing. Whether you're looking in Logan Square, Bridgeport or Berwyn, a few habits help:

1. Take the homebuyer course early. IHDA, HomeGrown and Cook County all require one before closing, and you can finish it while you're still touring homes.
2. Get a pre-approval that already reflects the program, so the listing side can see the assistance is part of the plan.
3. Leave room in the closing date. HomeGrown can't start its review until the contract is signed.
4. On a condo, check the building early. The assistance follows the first mortgage, and the first mortgage has its own condo rules. Our Chicago condo financing guide covers what lenders look for.
5. Price it both ways. First mortgages paired with assistance can carry different pricing and costs than a standard loan. Ask for Loan Estimates with and without the program and read them side by side. Here's how to compare Loan Estimates.

Once you're under contract, the timing of your rate lock matters as much with assistance as without it. Our rate lock checklist walks through it.

Common first-time buyer program questions

Do I have to pay IHDA down payment assistance back?

It depends on the program. Access Forgivable is forgiven monthly over 10 years. Access Home and Access Deferred are interest-free loans you repay when you sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage. Access Repayable is an interest-free loan repaid monthly over 10 years.

Who counts as a first-time homebuyer in Illinois?

Cook County's program treats anyone who has not owned a home in the past three years as a first-time buyer. IHDA's Access Home also accepts eligible veterans and buyers in IHDA targeted areas even if they have owned before.

Can I use Chicago's HomeGrown grant if I'm moving to Chicago from somewhere else?

Yes. The City says you can apply if you are relocating to Chicago and the home will be your primary residence. Investment properties are not eligible, and you must live in the home for five years.

Can down payment assistance be used to buy down my interest rate?

Cook County's program allows its subsidy to go toward an interest-rate buydown. Chicago's HomeGrown grant does not; it covers down payment and closing costs only.

What credit score do I need for Illinois down payment assistance?

IHDA's Access programs require a minimum credit score of 640. Cook County's program requires a minimum of 620. Chicago's HomeGrown program requires you to meet the mortgage lender's requirements and get a pre-approval.