Arizona down payment assistance, program by program.
Statewide, regional, city and national DPA options—plus the repayment details that matter after closing.
Reviewed September 11, 2026 • Joshua Dobson, NMLS #190260
Quick comparison
| Program | Area | Assistance | Key catch / feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Plus | Statewide | Up to 4% | 5-year forgivable second; no monthly/annual partial forgiveness before anniversary 5. |
| Arizona Is Home | Excludes Maricopa, Pima & Chino Valley | 4% | First-time buyer generally required; second is non-forgivable; funding limited. |
| Home in Five Advantage | Maricopa County | Program advertises up to 6% | Some 2026 forgivable-assistance funds have been fully utilized; verify current product availability. |
| Phoenix Open Doors | City of Phoenix | Up to 10% of purchase price | ≤80% AMI; deferred 0% loan, forgiveness after affordability period. |
| National Homebuyers Fund | Multi-state | Up to 5% | Specific repayment/forgiveness depends on the option and participating lender. |
| Chenoa Fund | Arizona + most U.S. | 3.5% or 5% FHA DPA | Multiple structures; compare the first mortgage and DPA together. |
Arizona IDA Home Plus
Home Plus is Arizona IDA's broad statewide DPA program. Current 2026 program information says it is available across Arizona and offers up to 4% for down payment and closing costs. The current Home Plus income limit is $155,386, effective April 6, 2026.
The 2026 lender summary shows 3% and 4% forgivable DPA options with Fannie Mae HFA Preferred and Freddie Mac HFA Advantage, and 2%, 3% and 4% options with FHA, VA and USDA. HUD 184 Tribal financing is also listed with a 4% option.
At least one borrower must complete homebuyer education before closing. Home Plus funding is described as available throughout the year rather than a limited annual allocation.
Arizona Is Home
Arizona Is Home combines a below-market 30-year fixed-rate first mortgage with 4% DPA. Current Arizona IDA information says eligible buyers generally must be first-time homebuyers, have income at or below 100% of the applicable AMI and complete homebuyer education. Qualified-veteran and targeted-area exceptions may apply to the first-time-buyer requirement.
The program is not available in Maricopa County, Pima County or Chino Valley. Annual program funding is limited; Arizona IDA reported in its July 2026 update that approximately $37 million of the year's $55 million allocation remained at that time.
Home in Five Advantage
Home in Five serves buyers purchasing within Maricopa County, including Phoenix. The program's consumer site advertises assistance of up to 6%, a 640 minimum FICO, principal-residence occupancy, homebuyer education and program income requirements.
However, current funding status matters. The program reported that as of June 25, 2026, funds for the 7-year forgivable DPA option had been fully utilized, and Home in Five Platinum funds were also fully utilized with its waitlist closed. Other Home in Five structures may remain available through participating servicers/lenders, so a buyer should verify the exact option being quoted.
Phoenix Open Doors
The City of Phoenix Open Doors program can provide up to 10% of the purchase price toward down payment and closing costs for eligible first-time buyers purchasing within Phoenix. The City currently states household income must be at or below 80% of Area Median Income, and the current maximum purchase price is $470,250.
Assistance is structured as a 0% deferred-payment loan with no monthly principal payment. Repayment can be triggered by sale, a change in residency or refinancing during the affordability period. The City says the affordability period can extend up to 15 years depending on the assistance amount, after which the loan is fully forgiven.
Buyers must complete an eight-hour pre-purchase education course plus one-on-one counseling through a HUD-approved counseling agency.
National DPA Arizona buyers should also check
National Homebuyers Fund (NHF)
NHF reports assistance of up to 5% of the mortgage loan amount in most states through participating lenders, without a universal first-time-homebuyer requirement. Depending on the specific NHF option, assistance can have different forgiveness or repayment terms.
Chenoa Fund
CBC Mortgage Agency's Chenoa Fund offers FHA DPA structures of 3.5% or 5%, does not universally require first-time-buyer status and is offered through approved lender partners. Arizona is within its stated geographic footprint.
Why Arizona requires more than one DPA page
Arizona illustrates why Mortgage Navigator is being built around geography. A Phoenix buyer may need to compare Home Plus, Home in Five, Open Doors and national programs. A buyer elsewhere in Arizona may instead have access to Arizona Is Home, Home Plus, local programs and national options. The ZIP code can materially change the answer.
Let Josh compare the whole structure.
Tell me the city or ZIP code, approximate purchase price and what you have available for closing. I'll know which DPA buckets need to be checked.
Official sources & update policy
Mortgage Navigator prioritizes program administrators and government sources. Because DPA funding and guidelines change, the transaction-specific program must always be re-verified before relying on it.