MassHousing Down Payment Assistance (DPA)
MassHousing (Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency, the state's official housing finance agency)
Amount: Up to $30,000 at 0% interest with deferred repayment (no monthly payments; repaid at sale, payoff, or refinance). Alternative options exist at up to $25,000 with 2% or 3% interest on a 15-year amortization, depending on loan structure chosen.
Type: Deferred-payment / low-interest second loan (down payment and closing cost assistance), paired mandatorily with a MassHousing first mortgage
Must be an income-eligible first-time homebuyer (generally at or below 100% of Area Median Income, higher in Gateway Cities); household income must be under $209,250/year per MassHousing's stated ceiling; minimum credit score around 640, though ~680 (single-family/condo) or 700 (multi-family) is cited by some sources to access the full/best terms; must purchase a primary residence (single-family, condo, or 2-4 family) in Massachusetts; must be paired with a MassHousing mortgage. Source: masshousing.com/home-ownership/homebuyers/down-payment-assistance
Expanded 0% Interest Homebuyer Assistance (Healey Administration initiative)
MassHousing, announced by Governor Maura Healey's administration
Amount: Up to $25,000 at 0% interest, deferred repayment (repaid at sale/refinance/payoff); estimated to save borrowers up to $31,000 over the life of the loan versus market-rate financing. Program had a ~$25 million total budget serving an estimated 1,000 families.
Type: Time-limited expanded down payment/closing-cost assistance (deferred loan)
First-time homebuyers earning up to 135% of Area Median Income (ranging from about $205,335 in eastern Massachusetts down to about $129,870 in Hampden County, varying by county); required locking a MassHousing mortgage within a limited window (originally April 27-July 31, 2026, but due to high demand the window closed early, with a lock deadline of July 2, 2026). Applicants after that date fall back to MassHousing's standard DPA program above. Source: mass.gov news release and CBS News Boston coverage.
ONE Mortgage Program
Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), a state-chartered public housing agency, in partnership with participating lenders and the state
Amount: No direct cash grant; instead provides a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage requiring only 3% down payment (5% for 3-family properties) with no private mortgage insurance (PMI) required, which can save borrowers hundreds of dollars per month versus a conventional low-down-payment loan. Down payment can be gifted or combined with other DPA programs.
Type: First mortgage loan product (not a grant), reduced down payment with subsidized/no PMI
Must be a first-time homebuyer, defined as not having owned a home in the past 3 years; household income must be under program limits that vary by community and household size (generally up to 100% of Area Median Income, with an MHP subsidy available below 80% AMI); minimum credit score of 640 for single-family/condo purchases, 660 for 2-3 family properties (options exist for borrowers without traditional credit history); total household assets must be under $100,000 (excluding most retirement and college savings accounts); completion of a homebuyer education class is required. Source: mhp.net/one-mortgage/homebuyer-resources/program-requirements and mymasshome.org/one-mortgage.
MassDREAMS Grant (CLOSED - no longer accepting applications)
MassHousing, federally funded (using American Rescue Plan Act funds), targeted at Disproportionately Impacted Communities
Amount: Was up to $50,000, structured as up to 5% of the purchase price, as a non-repayable grant (no repayment required if the home remains the buyer's primary residence and program requirements are met).
Type: Non-repayable grant (now closed)
Historical program required first-time buyer status and residency in a designated Disproportionately Impacted Community; this program is confirmed CLOSED as of the current search results and is no longer accepting new applications. It is included here only for context, since it was a major recent state program; buyers should rely on the still-active MassHousing DPA and ONE Mortgage programs above instead. Source: masshousing.com/en/home-ownership/homebuyers/massdreams and multiple secondary confirmations.