Dallas Home Buyers Assistance Program: DHAP Amounts, Income Limits, and How to Apply

How the Dallas home buyers assistance program works

DHAP is the City of Dallas’s main down payment help for low- and moderate-income buyers. It is paid for with federal, state, and local housing money, so it comes with rules about income, the home, and how long you live there. The assistance is applied at closing. You never get a check in hand.

The biggest recent change is who runs it. The city’s DHAP page says that, effective May 1, 2026, BCL of Texas manages the program and the city no longer administers it directly. BCL of Texas is a nonprofit lender and HUD-approved housing counseling group. For questions or to apply, contact BCL at (214) 919-1866 or through its DHAP page. The city still handles existing DHAP liens, such as payoffs and lien releases, through its housing department.

DHAP is not for people who are just starting to think about buying. BCL says the program is designed for buyers who are already working with a lender and are ready to move forward. If you are not there yet, the sections on Dallas County counseling and getting mortgage-ready below are the better place to start.

Three versions of DHAP

The city lists three extensions of the program. Two are open through BCL of Texas; one has run out of money.

All applicants must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or have eligible immigration status, with a valid Social Security card, according to the city. The actual amount you get depends on your need, which is the gap between what you can afford and what the home costs. Not every buyer qualifies for the maximum.

Income limits by household size

Income limits count everyone who will live in the home, not just the people on the loan, and include all income sources. BCL of Texas lists these limits, effective June 1, 2026:

For traditional DHAP, use the 80% column as your ceiling. For DHAP 10, your income must fall between the 50% and 120% columns. When we checked, the city’s own page still showed the lower limits that took effect June 1, 2025, so if the two pages disagree, follow BCL of Texas, which now runs intake. These limits are updated each year when HUD releases new area median income figures, usually in spring or early summer.

Home price, payment, and property rules

DHAP sets rules for the home and the mortgage, not only for you. According to the city’s program page:

• Location: the home must be inside Dallas city limits. A Dallas mailing address in a suburb does not count.
• Sales price: for traditional DHAP, the city lists a maximum of $342,000 for existing and new homes, for contracts written on or after September 1, 2024. The city says DHAP 10 has no sales price limit; your lender sets your price range. Confirm the current cap with BCL before you make an offer.
• Payment cap: your monthly housing payment may not exceed 35% of your gross monthly income. On $5,000 a month, that is $1,750 for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance combined.
• Appraisal: the home must appraise for at least 100% of the sales price.
• Condition: BCL says the home must pass required city reviews, including an inspection and environmental review, and meet Minimum Housing Standards before closing. If repairs are needed, the seller may fix them, or you may need to choose another home.

Before you start looking, run your own numbers with our debt-to-income ratio calculator. Lenders look at that ratio closely, and it helps you see what payment is realistic.

High Opportunity Areas are neighborhoods the city has designated for the larger $60,000 maximum. The city links to a map of these areas from its DHAP page. Ask BCL or your Realtor whether a home you like is inside one before you write an offer.

How the forgivable loan is repaid

DHAP is a loan on paper, but most buyers who stay in the home never pay it back. The city describes it as a second lien and a forgivable deferred loan. It has no interest and no monthly payments. The balance is reduced each year you live in the home, over a set affordability period, which is the residency term of the loan.

If you sell, lease, or transfer the home before that period ends, part of the assistance is due back. That is why it matters to plan to live there for years, not months. Ask BCL to show you the affordability period that applies to your amount and how much would be owed if you moved early. Keep your closing papers; you will need them if you later refinance, since the city must agree to subordinate its lien or confirm a payoff.

BCL says DHAP may be combined with another down payment program in some cases, but any other help must be disclosed and approved before closing, because each program may also want a lien.

The DHAP process from start to closing

BCL of Texas lists five steps:

1. Readiness Check. A short online quiz. It is not an application and does not reserve funds.
2. Intake application. Complete it only once you have a DHAP-approved lender and are ready to buy.
3. Eligibility Determination Session (EDS). A one-on-one review of your household, income, and assets. BCL says it usually completes an initial review of submitted applications within 24 to 48 hours, then schedules the EDS once the file is complete.
4. Home review. The property must pass inspection and environmental review.
5. Closing. If approved, your assistance is applied at closing.

Before you can move forward, BCL says you need pre-approval from a DHAP-approved lender, an executed purchase contract, a homebuyer education certificate from a DHAP-approved provider, and your household documents. A Realtor or lender cannot apply for you, though they can help you gather papers. BCL also notes that submitting an application does not guarantee funding.

Papers to gather before you apply

BCL publishes a full DHAP document checklist. In general, homebuyer programs ask for:

• Photo ID and Social Security cards for household members.
• Recent pay stubs and the last two years of tax returns and W-2s for every adult with income.
• Award letters for Social Security, pensions, child support, or other income.
• Recent bank statements for all accounts.
• Your lender’s pre-approval letter and the signed purchase contract.
• Your homebuyer education certificate.

Having these ready speeds up your EDS appointment. If BCL asks for something more, it does not mean there is a problem; it often just needs to confirm income or household size.

Dallas County help for suburban buyers

If you want to buy in Dallas County but outside Dallas city limits, DHAP will not apply. Dallas County’s Home Loan Counseling Center (HLCC), a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, is the place to start. It offers free homebuyer education, one-on-one counseling, and credit and budget guidance in English and Spanish. Call (214) 819-6060, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The county’s Upfront Cost Assistance Program (UPCAP) provides qualified buyers up to $15,000 in down payment or closing cost help toward an eligible home in Dallas County, according to the HLCC page. Older county materials describe UPCAP as serving first-time buyers in participating suburban cities, so ask HLCC which cities and buyers it covers now. The county also runs a Section 8 Homeownership Program that lets some Dallas County Housing Choice Voucher holders use their voucher toward a mortgage payment; call (214) 819-6063. Our guide to Section 8 homeownership eligibility explains how that works.

Some suburbs, such as Garland, Irving, and Mesquite, have run their own homebuyer programs at times. Ask HLCC or the city’s housing office whether one is funded now.

Texas statewide homebuyer programs

Two state housing agencies offer programs you may be able to use anywhere in Texas, including Dallas. Both work only through participating lenders, so you do not apply to the agency directly. Their websites did not load for us to confirm current terms, so treat the descriptions below as general and get the details from a participating lender.

• Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Its My First Texas Home program pairs a 30-year mortgage with optional down payment assistance for first-time buyers, generally a deferred second loan sized as a percentage of the mortgage. TDHCA also offers a Texas Mortgage Credit Certificate, which can reduce your federal income tax each year you have the loan.
• Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC). Its Home Sweet Texas program serves income-eligible buyers, and Homes for Texas Heroes serves teachers, police, firefighters, EMS workers, corrections officers, veterans, and some nursing faculty. Assistance is offered as a grant or a forgivable second loan.

Ask your lender whether a state program can be combined with DHAP for your purchase. Our first-time home grants guide covers other options, including lender and credit union grants.

Getting mortgage-ready first

Most people who are turned down for DHAP are not over income. They simply are not ready for a mortgage yet. Dallas County describes a mortgage-ready client as someone with enough steady income to apply for a loan, a credit score of at least 620, and an established habit of saving. Free help to get there:

• Housing counseling. HLCC and BCL of Texas both offer free or low-cost counseling. You can also find a HUD-approved counselor through HUD’s housing counselor search.
• Credit. Get your free credit reports, dispute errors, and pay every bill on time for at least 12 months before applying.
• Savings. DHAP covers much of the down payment, but you still need money for inspections, the appraisal, moving, and an emergency cushion.
• Payment math. A mortgage calculator shows how price, rate, taxes, and insurance change your monthly payment.

If you are renting while you prepare and fall behind, see our guide to rental assistance in Dallas County.

Your next steps

1. Check your income against the table above for your household size.
2. Take a homebuyer education class from a DHAP-approved provider, such as HLCC or BCL.
3. Get pre-approved by a lender on BCL’s DHAP-approved list.
4. Complete BCL’s Readiness Check, then find a home inside Dallas city limits within the price and payment rules.
5. Sign a contract and submit your intake application with your full document packet.
6. Attend your EDS, respond quickly to requests, and close.

Related guides

• Texas down payment assistance program
• Harris County down payment assistance
• Austin down payment assistance
• Down payment assistance programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Program amounts, income limits, and rules are set by the City of Dallas, BCL of Texas, Dallas County, and state agencies and can change at any time. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with any of these organizations or any government agency.