NYC's HomeFirst program lends up to $100,000 toward a down payment or closing costs, and a city employee qualifies on the same terms as any other first-time buyer who meets the income, price, and property rules. HPD's page ties eligibility to first-time buyer status, income, and the property, not to a public-sector job. SONYMA's DPAL adds up to $15,000 for buyers using a SONYMA mortgage. In my 25+ years selling co-ops and condos, the order that works is housing counselor first, lender second, offer last.

The Program Stack

Program	What it can cover	Watch item
HomeFirst (HPD)	Up to $100,000, or 20% of the price if lower	Income up to 120% AMI; price limits apply
SONYMA DPAL	3% of the price, up to $15,000	Only with a SONYMA mortgage; raises the rate by 0.40%
SONYMA DPAL PLUS 2026	Up to $30,000	60% AMI cap, $500,000 price limit, first-come funding

Start With HomeFirst

NYC HPD lists up to $100,000 for qualified first-time buyers of a co-op, condo, or 1-4 family home in the five boroughs, usable for the down payment or closing costs. It is a 0% forgivable loan: the amount is the lesser of 20% of the purchase price or $100,000, so the full amount needs a price of about $500,000 or more.

Purchase price	HomeFirst ceiling	DPAL ceiling	Buyer 3% (HomeFirst)
$300,000	$60,000	$9,000	$9,000
$400,000	$80,000	$12,000	$12,000
$500,000	$100,000	$15,000	$15,000

Ceilings from the 20% and 3% rules, not guarantees. Each depends on approval.

HomeFirst Baseline Facts

• First-time buyer status: no home owned in the past three years
• An HPD-approved homebuyer education course is required
• A cash contribution of at least 3% of the purchase price is required
• Income limit: up to 120% AMI, including $142,560 for a one-person household and $162,840 for a two-person household
• Owner occupancy period: 10 years for loans up to $40,000 and 15 years for larger loans
• Mortgage: fixed rate, through a lender on HPD's participating list; mortgage brokers are not allowed
• Minimum credit score is 620, or 580 with an FHA-approved mortgage; debt-to-income may not exceed 55%
• Gifts are capped at 50% of the down payment contribution
• $1,500 non-refundable application fee, paid to the loan servicer
• On an early sale, you repay the lesser of net proceeds or the loan, reduced yearly beginning on the sixth anniversary

HomeFirst Purchase Price Limits for Existing Homes

County	1-unit	2-unit	3-unit	4-unit
Bronx, New York (Manhattan), Richmond	$661,000	$846,000	$1,025,000	$1,270,000
Kings (Brooklyn)	$732,000	$936,000	$1,134,000	$1,404,000
Queens	$699,000	$894,000	$1,083,000	$1,342,000

Source: NYC HPD HomeFirst page, 95% of HUD limits, effective December 1, 2025. Properties in an HPD-designated exception area may exceed these limits.

The price cap is the filter buyers hit first: a Manhattan one-bedroom listed above $661,000 falls outside HomeFirst unless it sits in an exception area. Check the limit for the county before touring.

Add SONYMA DPAL If the Loan Fits

SONYMA DPAL Facts

• DPAL works only with a SONYMA mortgage approved through a participating lender, and not every participating lender offers it
• Loan amount: 3% of the purchase price, up to $15,000 (or $3,000, whichever is highest)
• 0% interest, no monthly payment, forgiven after 10 years when rules are met
• Interest rate on the first mortgage is 0.40% higher than without a DPAL
• Minimum buyer cash is 1% of value, or 3% for co-ops
• Repayable if you sell or refinance within 10 years, falling 1/120 each month
• Cannot exceed your actual down payment and closing costs, and cannot be subordinate to another mortgage

SONYMA's DPAL PLUS 2026 lends up to $30,000, down to an 80% loan-to-value mortgage, for households at or below 60% of AMI on purchases of $500,000 or less. SONYMA's term sheet funds it at $7.5 million, first-come, first-served, and says it must be applied after any other subsidies. Check the HCR DPAL page for current availability.

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130 BARROW Street #312, Condo for sale in West Village, NYC

Active

$1,820,000

130 BARROW Street #312

West Village

1 bd 2 ba 1,200 sf

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Condo · 1931 RLS #RLS20111221

185 W END Avenue #22J, Co-op for sale in Lincoln Square, NYC

Active

$595,000

185 W END Avenue #22J

Lincoln Square

0 bd 1 ba

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Co-op · 1962 RLS #RLS20121953

Listing information provided courtesy of the Real Estate Board of New York's Residential Listing Service (RLS). Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Sale listings verified. ©2026 REBNY. RLS data displayed by Keller Williams NYC.

Calls, in Order

1.Call an HPD-approved counseling agency and book the next HomeFirst class.
2.Get a price range from a participating HomeFirst lender before you tour; a SONYMA lender is needed if you want DPAL.
3.Have Milton review the property type before you offer. Co-op rules, condo project rules, and lender requirements can change the usable assistance.

Related guides

• How much apartment you can afford in NYC
• The HomeFirst guide
• Income-restricted apartments in NYC
• The NYC buyer guide, the closing costs guide, and the co-op vs. condo guide

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NYC City Employee Grants: $100,000 Down Payment Help

The Program Stack