Any occupation
HomeStart Advantage no longer requires a service job. Teachers and first responders qualify, and so does everyone else.
Louisiana down payment assistance directory
4% down payment help for Louisiana homebuyers
HomeStart Advantage is the Louisiana Housing Corporation program that started as Keys for Service for teachers and first responders. Since Sept. 9, 2026 it is open to every occupation, and it still gives 4% of your loan toward down payment and closing costs.
Free, takes about two minutes, and your credit isn't pulled. Or call (800) 555-0100.
- 4% of your loan as a 0% forgivable second
- Forgiven after 5 years in the home
- Household income up to $125,000
- No first-time buyer requirement
First things first: what is this program?
HomeStart Advantage in four numbers
4%of your first mortgage as assistance
$125,000household income cap, statewide
640minimum credit score
5 yearsthen the second is forgiven
The 4% second mortgage carries no interest and is forgiven after 60 months of living in the home. It comes with a 30-year fixed first mortgage from an LHC participating lender.
How much could 4% be worth?
HomeStart Advantage pays 4% of your final first mortgage amount. Move the price and pick a loan type to see a rough figure.
Do you have to be a teacher or a first responder?
Keys for Service was built for teachers and first responders. HomeStart Advantage now says all occupations qualify, so teachers, deputies, firefighters, nurses and everyone else apply on the same terms. If your job is teaching, policing, firefighting or EMS, the federal Good Neighbor Next Door program is one more option.
Teachers
The program's original audience. Certified teachers still qualify, now with no occupation paperwork.
Police & deputies
City police, parish sheriff's deputies and state law enforcement were in the first 2023 group.
Firefighters
Full-time firefighters were covered from day one and qualify today like any buyer.
Paramedics & EMS
Licensed paramedics and emergency response staff, including dispatchers, are eligible.
Dispatchers
Public safety telecommunicators were added in 2023 and remain eligible under the all-jobs rule.
Nurses & healthcare
Hospital, clinic, pharmacy and nursing home staff were added in 2023. Every other job qualifies too.
What does it take to qualify?
Six things a lender looks at before anything else.
Income up to $125,000
Projected yearly income for the whole household, counting every adult 18 or older. The cap is the same in every parish. See income limits for HomeStart Assist.
Credit score 640+
640 is the minimum for every HomeStart program, or 660 for a manufactured home. Maximum debt-to-income is generally 50% (45% for manufactured homes).
No other home at closing
You don't need to be a first-time buyer, but you can't own another residential property when you close.
Your primary residence
One-unit homes, townhomes, condos and qualifying manufactured homes. Duplexes and second homes aren't eligible. Live there 5 years for full forgiveness.
Price within the FHA limit
The purchase price can't exceed the applicable FHA loan limit for your parish. A participating lender confirms the exact figure.
What else is out there in Louisiana?
Your Louisiana assistance options
HomeStart Advantage
Formerly Keys for Service, built for teachers and first responders, now open to everyone. 4% of your loan as a 0% second, forgiven after 5 years. Income up to $125,000. No first-time buyer rule.
HomeStart Assist
The first-time buyer companion (formerly MRB Assisted). Also 4% forgivable after 5 years, but with parish income limits and a $554,850 price limit in most areas. Veterans and buyers in targeted areas are exempt from the first-time rule. Federal recapture tax may apply if you sell within 9 years.
HomeStart Plus
Disaster-recovery help for first-time buyers at or below 80% AMI in parishes designated for Hurricanes Laura, Delta or Ida: up to 20% of the price (max $55,000) plus up to $5,000 in closing costs, forgiven over 10 years.
HUD Good Neighbor Next Door
The one program still limited to teachers, police, firefighters and EMTs. Full-time workers in those jobs can buy certain HUD-owned homes in designated revitalization neighborhoods for half the listed price, putting $100 down on an FHA loan, as long as they live there 36 months.
It's a loan that disappears, not a grant. The 4% is a 0% second mortgage. If you sell or refinance before 5 years, the balance is due. Conventional borrowers at or below 80% AMI may also get a separate Affordable Income Subsidy grant of 0.50% to 1.00% of the loan.
What kind of mortgage comes with it?
The assistance only comes with an LHC first mortgage. Rates are set by LHC and posted daily, lenders must use the published rate, and buy-downs aren't allowed.
Loan types
- FHA (Limited 203(k) allowed with approved lenders)
- VA
- USDA Rural Development
- Conventional: Fannie Mae HFA Preferred or Freddie Mac HFA Advantage
Terms
- 30-year fixed rate
- 4% second mortgage at 0% interest
- Forgiven after 60 months of owner occupancy
- Balance due if you sell or refinance within 5 years
Fees and timing
- $125 LHC reservation fee
- Funds reserved only with a fully executed purchase agreement
- 60 days from reservation to loan purchase
- First come, first served
How does applying actually work?
In order, from the first phone call to the closing table.
- 1Check the basics: household income up to $125,000, a credit score of 640 or higher, and no other residential property at closing. Take the 2-minute check.
- 2Pick an LHC participating lender. You don't apply to LHC directly; the lender reserves your loan through eHousing Plus.
- 3Get pre-approved and choose FHA, VA, USDA or an HFA conventional loan.
- 4If you're a first-time buyer, finish an approved homebuyer education course before closing.
- 5Sign a purchase agreement. Your lender then reserves the first mortgage and the 4% second, first come, first served.
- 6Your lender underwrites and closes within the 60-day window, and you sign the 0% forgivable second at closing.
Paperwork to pull together
Income and job
A written verification of employment covering 2 years and a paystub dated within 30 days. No proof of occupation is needed anymore.
Household income
Income for every adult 18+ who will live in the home, since the $125,000 cap counts the whole household.
Homebuyer education
First-time buyers need a certificate from a HUD-approved counseling agency or an approved online course such as eHome America, Framework, Home Trek or Finally! Home.
Veterans
If you're using HomeStart Assist as a first-time buyer exception, bring your DD214.
Which parish are you buying in?
HomeStart Advantage uses one $125,000 income cap in every parish. First-time buyers comparing HomeStart Assist face parish limits, so pick yours for the numbers.
East Baton RougeJeffersonOrleansSt. TammanyLafayetteCaddoCalcasieuOuachitaLivingstonTangipahoaAscensionBossierRapidesTerrebonneLafourcheSt. LandryIberiaVermilionAcadiaSt. Martin
City programsEvery parish guideIncome limits tableHome budget calculatorFull program list
Who will you actually be working with?
Only LHC participating lenders can reserve HomeStart Advantage funds, and the reservation runs on a 60-day clock once you have a signed contract. A loan officer who closes these loans regularly will know whether Advantage or Assist fits you better and will check your parish's FHA limit up front.
Self-employed, or paid through an app?
Business owners & 1099 earners
Work for yourself? HomeStart help still applies
Offshore contractors, roofers, captains and other business owners can use Louisiana's 4% assistance. Lenders just read your tax returns differently.
- Two years on your returns is the usual bar
- Net profit counts, with depreciation added back
- A big jump or drop in income gets a closer look
App-based & gig income
Earn through Uber, Lyft or DoorDash?
App drivers and shoppers can use Louisiana's HomeStart help. Lenders count what's left after mileage, so the number is smaller than your payouts.
- About two years of app income on your returns
- Mileage cuts the income lenders can count
- Weekend gigs on top of a paycheck need history
What else do people ask us?
The questions that come up most, answered as plainly as we can.
Is Keys for Service still available in Louisiana?
Yes, under a new name. On Sept. 9, 2026 the Louisiana Housing Corporation renamed Keys for Service to HomeStart Advantage. The 4% forgivable assistance, the $125,000 income cap and the 30-year fixed mortgage carried over. Loans reserved before that date follow the old Keys for Service guidelines.
Do I still have to be a teacher or first responder?
No. Keys for Service started in 2023 for law enforcement, firefighters, paramedics and certified teachers, then added healthcare and other essential workers. HomeStart Advantage now says all occupations qualify, so you don't need to prove your job.
How much help can I get?
4% of your final first mortgage amount. On a $200,000 loan that's $8,000. It can go toward your down payment, closing costs and prepaids.
Do I have to pay it back?
Not if you stay. It's a 0% second mortgage forgiven in full after 60 months in the home as your primary residence. If you sell or refinance within those 5 years, the balance is due.
What is the income limit?
HomeStart Advantage allows projected household income up to $125,000 in every parish, counting all adults 18 and older. First-time buyers using HomeStart Assist have parish limits instead. See the parish table.
Do I need to be a first-time homebuyer?
Not for HomeStart Advantage. You just can't own another residential property when you close. HomeStart Assist and HomeStart Plus do require first-time buyer status, with exceptions for veterans and targeted areas.
Is there a price limit?
Yes. The purchase price can't exceed the applicable FHA loan limit for your parish. Ask a participating lender to confirm the exact figure before you make an offer.
Do I need a homebuyer education class?
LHC's newest education rule, effective Sept. 22, 2026, requires it before closing for first-time buyers only. One older Advantage summary table still says at least one borrower must take it, so confirm with your lender.
Is there a program just for teachers, police and firefighters?
Not from the state anymore. The federal HUD Good Neighbor Next Door program is limited to full-time law enforcement officers, pre-K to 12 teachers, firefighters and EMTs: 50% off HUD-owned homes in revitalization areas if you live there 36 months. It can be combined with state or local help.
How do I apply?
Through an LHC participating lender, not LHC itself. Once you have a signed purchase agreement, the lender reserves your loan and 4% assistance on a first-come, first-served basis. Funding amounts aren't published, so it pays to be ready.
See if HomeStart Advantage fits you
Six quick questions, and then someone who closes these loans calls back with figures that fit your situation.
Start the eligibility check
