Section 51504.
Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 51504.
in effect(a)
The agency shall administer a downpayment assistance program that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(1)
Downpayment assistance shall include, but not be limited to, a deferred-payment, low-interest, junior mortgage loan to reduce the principal and interest payments and make financing affordable to first-time low- and
moderate-income home buyers.
(2)
(A)
Except as provided in subparagraph (B) or (C), the amount of downpayment assistance shall not exceed 3 percent of the home sale price.
(B)
The amount of downpayment assistance for a new home within an infill opportunity zone, as defined in Section 65088.1 of the Government Code, a transit village development district, as defined in Section 65460.4 of the Government Code, or a transit-oriented development specific plan area, as defined in paragraph (6), shall not exceed 5 percent of the purchase price or the appraised value, whichever amount is less, of the new home. The borrower of the downpayment assistance shall provide the lender originating the loan with a certification from the local government agency administering the infill opportunity zone, the transit village development district, or the transit-oriented
development specific plan area that states that the property involved in the loan transaction is within the boundaries of either the infill opportunity zone, the transit village development district, or the transit-oriented development specific plan area.
(C)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the agency may, but is not required to, provide downpayment assistance that does not exceed 6 percent of the home sale price to first-time low-income home buyers who, as documented to the agency by a nonprofit organization that is certified and funded to provide home ownership counseling by a federally funded national nonprofit corporation, are purchasing a residence in a community revitalization area targeted by the nonprofit organization as a neighborhood in need of economic stimulation, renovation, and rehabilitation through efforts that include increased home ownership opportunities for low-income families. The agency shall not use more than six million
dollars ($6,000,000) in funds made available pursuant to Section 53533 for the purposes of this paragraph.
(3)
The amount of the downpayment assistance shall be secured by a deed of trust in a junior position to the primary financing provided. The term of the loan for the downpayment assistance shall not exceed the term of the primary loan.
(4)
(A)
Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), the amount of the downpayment assistance shall be due and payable at the end of the term or upon sale of or refinancing of the home. The borrower may refinance the mortgages on the home provided that the principal and accrued interest on the junior mortgage loan securing the downpayment assistance are repaid in full. All repayments shall be made to the agency to be reallocated for the purposes of this chapter.
(B)
The agency may, in its discretion, permit the downpayment assistance loan to be subordinated to refinancing if it determines that the borrower has demonstrated hardship, subordination is required to avoid foreclosure, and the new loan meets the agency’s underwriting requirements. The agency may permit subordination on those terms and conditions as it determines are reasonable.
(C)
The amount of the downpayment assistance shall not be due and payable upon sale of the home if the first mortgage loan is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or if the first mortgage loan is, or has been, transferred to the FHA, or if the requirement is otherwise contrary to regulations of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development governing FHA insured first mortgage loans.
(5)
The agency may use up to 5
percent of the funds appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of this chapter to administer this program.
(6)
For purposes of this section, “transit-oriented development specific plan area” means a specific plan that meets the criteria set forth in Section 65451 of the Government Code, is centered around a rail or light-rail station, ferry terminal, bus hub, or bus transfer station, and is intended to achieve a higher density use of land that facilitates use of the transit station.
(b)
In addition to the downpayment assistance program authorized by subdivision (a), the agency may, at its discretion, use not more than seventy-five million dollars ($75,000,000) of the funds available pursuant to this chapter to finance the acquisition of land and the construction and development of housing developments, as defined in Section 50073.5, and for-sale residential structures through
short-term loans pursuant to its authority pursuant to Section 51100. However, the agency shall make downpayment assistance provided pursuant to paragraph (1), subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2), and paragraphs (3) to (5), inclusive, of subdivision (a) the priority use for these funds. A loan made pursuant to this section is not subject to Article 4 (commencing with Section 51175) of Chapter 5.
References
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 65088.1.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 65460.4.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 65451.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 53533.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 50073.5.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 51100.
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 51175.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026