First Time Home Buyer Program Launching In San Leandro

SAN LEANDRO, CA — The City of San Leandro announced that it is launching a first time home buyer program to help local renters or people who work in the city purchase a home. The city has contracted with a nonprofit, the Bay Area Affordable Homeownership Alliance (BAAHA), to help make the process as smooth as possible.

The City's Housing Services Division is implementing a comprehensive first time home buyer campaign focused on promoting and delivering essential home buyer services. These services include comprehensive home buyer education, one-on-one home buyer counseling, coaching home buyers with financing and purchasing their first home, and directing and preparing households to take advantage of a number of beneficial home buyer assistance programs.

Eligible San Leandro residents and employees will be counseled and directed to take advantage of the following first time home buyer assistance programs. Some of the programs include:

• The Alameda County Boost Down Payment Assistance Program: offers up to a $150,000 down payment assistance subsidy to eligible first time home buyers.
• Below Market Rate (BMR) Homes Program: offers education on upcoming or available BMR homes in San Leandro that can sell for 40% to 60% below similar market rate homes.
• The Federal Home Loan Bank WISH Program: offers a $15,000 forgivable loan (grant) and has no geographic restrictions.
• Alameda County's Mortgage Credit Certificate Program: offers expanded tax savings to first-time home buyers purchasing a home in Alameda County.

A San Leandro first-time home buyer program orientation for interested community members to learn more about home ownership opportunities will be on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the San Leandro Senior Community Center located at 13909 E. 14th Street, San Leandro, CA 94578.

Participation in the first time home buyer programs requires a certificate of completion for HUD- approved home buyer education. A HUD-approved education seminar will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Lecture Hall of the San Leandro Library located at 300 Estudillo Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577. Reservations for the seminar, as well as the orientation can be made online.

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