Home Buyer Down Payment Grants and Help for Single Mothers in Massachusetts

Where to start before shopping

1. Take a homebuyer class

MassHousing, ONE, and many city programs require buyer education. Use the education class calendar. Ask whether the class is approved for each program you plan to use.

2. Meet with a housing counselor

Choose a HUD-approved agency through the HUD counselor finder. Take your pay records, debts, child care costs, and savings totals. Ask for a monthly budget that includes repairs, taxes, insurance, heat, and condo fees if needed.

3. Get quotes from at least two lenders

Ask each lender whether it offers MassHousing, ONE Mortgage, ONE+, and FHLBank Boston programs. A lender cannot reserve assistance it does not offer. Request written loan estimates that show the first loan, any second loan, payment, closing costs, and money needed from you.

4. Check help from the town where you will buy

The municipal assistance list can help you find city programs. Ask about open funding, inspections, income tests, time to close, and what happens if you move. Do this before you make an offer with a short deadline.

What has changed

State program terms and local funding are easier to compare now, but past offers can still appear in search results. MassHousing’s broad $25,000, 0% deferred offer stopped taking new mortgage locks after July 2, 2026. Its ongoing up to $30,000 deferred option is separate and has its own income rules. See the state’s June 2026 program update.

Worcester now lists a separate ARPA down payment program as on hold, although its standard city assistance remains listed. Springfield has also posted a separate affordable-home lottery with an October 19, 2026 application deadline. That is a home-sale opportunity, not an open-ended down payment grant. Confirm each program before paying fees or signing a purchase contract.

Quick comparison of homebuyer help

Grant vs. loan: A grant may still have a five-year repayment or occupancy condition. A second mortgage is a real debt even if its payment is deferred. A lower mortgage rate can save money each month without giving you money at closing.

MassHousing down payment assistance

MassHousing assistance is available in every Massachusetts city and town when paired with an eligible MassHousing first mortgage. It may help with a single-family home, condominium, or two- to four-family property used as your main home. You must meet the lender’s income and property rules.

The original program guide split these choices into income bands: below 60% of area median income for the $30,000 deferred choice, roughly 60%–80% for the 2% option, and above 80% up to 135% for the 3% option. Those are broad screening bands, not an approval chart. Exact income and loan pairing rules can change and differ by product. Check them with a lender using your household size and property location.

Expired special offer: The wider $25,000 0% deferred offer was for qualifying first-mortgage locks from April 27 through July 2, 2026. It should not be advertised as open today. The separate ongoing $30,000 deferred option remains on the public MassHousing page for qualifying loans.

Use the MassHousing lender list or MassHousing eligibility guide and ask for a written breakdown of both mortgages. A 0% second loan does not mean the balance is forgiven. Ask whether a refinance would require paying it off and whether the loan can be subordinated.

ONE Mortgage and ONE+

ONE Mortgage

Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s ONE Mortgage can lower borrowing costs for some first-time buyers. It offers a fixed rate, no private mortgage insurance (PMI), and as little as 3% down for a condo, one-family, or two-family home. A three-family home needs 5% down. Some eligible buyers can receive added financial help.

Under the published ONE Mortgage requirements, first-time usually means no homeownership during the previous three years. Buyers must take a class, live in the home, meet local household-income limits, and hold less than $100,000 in counted assets. Many retirement and college-savings accounts are excluded from that asset test. The posted credit-score minimum is 640 for a one-family home or condo and 660 for a two- or three-family home; MHP also describes options for applicants without a credit history. Ask a lender if you have a thin file.

For a two- or three-family property, buyers also need a landlord or multi-family course or approved counseling. Being approved to borrow does not remove the cost of keeping the building safe, including repairs or possible rental vacancies.

ONE+

ONE+ adds a long-term rate reduction and possible down payment and closing help. It is for qualified people who currently live in one of 29 communities, not everyone purchasing there. The ONE+ eligibility page names Attleboro, Barnstable, Boston, Brockton, Chelsea, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Framingham, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Methuen, New Bedford, Peabody, Pittsfield, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Salem, Springfield, Taunton, Westfield, and Worcester.

ONE+ normally requires at least 1.5% of the price from your own funds on a condo, one-, or two-family purchase within the 3% total down payment. A three-family home needs 5% down with at least 3% from your funds. Ask the lender to apply the current income, asset, and credit tests and confirm that help is available before you set a closing date.

Ask a participating ONE lender for a side-by-side estimate against MassHousing. Compare the rate, mortgage insurance, first and second loan payments, closing cash, and five-year cost. A lower monthly payment may matter more than the size of a grant.

Local homebuyer help in Massachusetts

City and town money is tied to the place you buy and may run out. A city may require a buyer class, inspection, approved lender, limits on selling the home, or extra time before closing. These programs may be grants, repayable loans, or loans forgiven after several years.

Boston and ONE+Boston

Boston’s first-time buyer grant page gives the income-based amounts above and explains how to apply. It also says a deed-restricted home has the 2% grant rule. Ask the ONE+Boston program whether its discount and closing help would be better than the basic city grant. The Boston Home Center number is 617-635-4663.

The BHA First Home program has a separate application for BHA public-housing families and voucher users. Its current public guide lists a $75,000 Boston purchase award. A prior 2026 notice warned that funding for applications after July 10, 2026 was not guaranteed. The page still describes the program, but do not assume the funding remains available: email firsthome@bostonhousing.org before making plans.

For BHA public-housing households, the posted readiness rules include two years of steady work, at least $4,000 saved, credit above 650, an approved course within three years, and no household homeownership within three years. Section 8 participants have separate work and good-standing rules, with some elderly/disability exceptions. A voucher may help with a mortgage only when the housing authority runs a homeownership option and approves the household. BHA says new portability into its homeownership program is not currently accepted.

Cambridge

The Cambridge assistance program offers a loan forgiven by 20% per year if you keep the home as your only residence. The separate HomeBridge program can pay part of an approved Cambridge home purchase, but you must accept an affordability covenant with limits on resale. HomeBridge is not a simple cash grant: buyers generally need 60%–120% of area median income, current Cambridge residency, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, an approved class, and property approval. Households with children under six need to pay special attention to deleading requirements.

Worcester

The city’s Worcester assistance page lists up to $5,000 for qualifying first-time buyers at or under 80% AMI, or for eligible Worcester workers at or under 120% AMI. It requires an approved class, housing condition review, and filing at least 45 days before closing. The city also describes a three-year residency restriction. A separate $25,000 ARPA assistance program is marked on hold until further notice. A partner page has some older FHLBank grant figures, so use FHLBank’s own current page for those figures.

Springfield

The Springfield down payment page says it offers help to qualified first-time buyers of one- to four-unit owner-occupied homes. The printed amount is inconsistent, and the page has an older footer date. Ask the Office of Housing at 413-787-6500 for the current FY27 information sheet, exact award, income limit, and payment schedule. Do not rely on the printed amount alone.

Separate Springfield lottery: the city’s Office of Housing announcements list five newly built homes at $215,000, with applications and required proof due October 19, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. and a drawing planned November 6. This is not a down payment grant. Applicants need the stated income and mortgage preapproval. Check the official notice right away if interested.

For towns not listed here, call the town housing office or a class provider. ASMOM’s Massachusetts community support guide can help you find local support while you prepare.

FHLBank Boston grants through lenders

These are actual grant programs, but families cannot apply directly to FHLBank Boston. You must work with an approved member bank or credit union that has funds and can reserve the grant. The 2026 official program comparison gives the following limits:

• Equity Builder Program (EBP): Up to $32,099 for eligible first-time buyers at or below 80% of area median income; at least $500 from the buyer’s own funds. See the Equity Builder buyer resources.
• Housing Our Workforce (HOW): Up to $25,000 for eligible households above 80% and up to 120% AMI; at least $2,000 in buyer funds. The buyer need not be a first-time buyer under the program’s general rule. See HOW homebuyer resources.
• Lift Up Homeownership (LUH): Up to $40,000 for first-time, first-generation homebuyers at or below 120% AMI; at least $1,000 in buyer funds. Check Lift Up program rules.

FHLBank Boston also lists a $150,000 asset cap for HOW and Lift Up in 2026 and a five-year retention mortgage for all three programs. A grant may become repayable after an early sale or other change. A buyer may receive only one of these three FHLBank awards. A member institution has to submit the reservation, usually at least 15 business days before closing; late files can be denied unless an extension is approved.

Funds are limited, released in stages, and not guaranteed until FHLBank approves the reservation. Ask whether the award can be paired with MassHousing or a city program, and who will review that combination. Never sign a purchase contract based only on a maximum advertised amount.

Documents to gather before applying

Put records in a folder before you apply. Keep originals safe, and save copies of each form or email you submit. Most lenders will need similar proof, but the city or grant program may ask for more.

If your income changes from week to week, ask the loan officer how gig work, overtime, second jobs, child support, or self-employment will be counted. Never guess at an income number on a form. Keep the latest statements and ask which time period they use.

Check your monthly living costs too. If day care is keeping you from saving, ASMOM’s Massachusetts child care guide may help you find assistance. This does not mean benefits can count as mortgage income; ask the lender.

What to do if the lender says no

A refusal from one lender or program does not always mean you cannot buy later. The reason matters. Ask for the decision and a clear list of missing or failed requirements. The CFPB credit-denial guidance explains what to expect when a credit report plays a part.

1. Read the notice: Look for a problem with income, debt, credit, property, savings, household size, class, or program funding.
2. Fix errors: Review your credit reports and challenge mistakes. Save proof of any correction.
3. Ask a counselor: Make a written plan for the main barrier. Do not send many new loan applications without understanding the first denial.
4. Try the right program: Another participating lender may offer a different loan, but ask about real rules and costs first.
5. Raise a complaint when needed: Massachusetts explains financial consumer complaints and the Mortgage Review Board for certain location-related mortgage concerns.

If you suspect discrimination related to family status, race, disability, or another protected trait, read the state’s fair housing protections and seek Massachusetts legal assistance. Keep copies of emails, denial letters, and dates. This is general information, not legal advice.

Phone scripts