Jefferson Parish First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program (FTHAP)
Low-to-moderate income buyers who haven't owned a home in three years can get up to $50,000 in Jefferson Parish, or up to $60,000 in Kenner, from the parish Department of Community Development.
First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program (FTHAP)
Money may run out
Jefferson Parish (including Kenner)
Help available
Up to $50,000 in Jefferson Parish; up to $60,000 in Kenner (page warns average awards change yearly)
Kind of help
Forgivable second loan
Who it's for
Low-to-moderate income buyers who have not owned a home in the past 3 years
Maximum appraised value applies; dollar figure not published on the page
Only for first-time buyers?
Yes
Also worth knowing
Fixed-rate first mortgage from an approved lender (no ARMs, balloons or temporary buydowns); lender pre-approval before applying; Financial Fitness + First-Time Homebuyer Training certificates (valid 2 years); in-person interview; single-family, condo or manufactured home on owned land. Affordability period: 5 yrs (<$15k), 10 yrs ($15k-$40k), 15 yrs (>$40k); repayment due on default during the period.
Page does not state open/closed; says funding is not assured until all requirements are met. Type listed as 'forgivable' is inferred from the affordability-period structure; the page does not label it. Contact 504-736-6262, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd, Suite 605.
Want a heads-up? First-Time Homebuyer Assistance Program (FTHAP) works from a limited pot that can run dry. Ask us to tell you when a new round of money opens.
How FTHAP assistance is structured
The Jefferson Parish Department of Community Development provides up to $50,000 parishwide and up to $60,000 for homes in Kenner. The parish cautions that average awards change from year to year, so treat those figures as ceilings. Instead of a payment schedule, the assistance carries an affordability period tied to its size: 5 years for awards under $15,000, 10 years for $15,000 to $40,000, and 15 years above $40,000. If you default on the terms during that period, repayment comes due. The parish page does not use the word forgivable, so confirm what happens to the balance at the end of the period when you meet with staff.
Income and property rules
Household income must fall between 51% and 80% of area median income. The 2025 limits at 80% AMI are $50,300 for one person, $57,500 for two, $64,700 for three, $71,850 for four, $77,600 for five, $83,350 for six, $89,100 for seven and $94,850 for eight. You can't have owned a home in the last three years. Eligible homes include single-family houses, condos and manufactured homes on land you own, and a maximum appraised value applies, though the parish doesn't publish the dollar figure. The Jefferson Parish guide covers Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, Harvey and Gretna.
FTHAP alongside JPFA and HomeStart loans
Your first mortgage must be a fixed-rate loan from an approved lender. Adjustable rates, balloon loans and temporary buydowns are not allowed. Jefferson Parish buyers also have JPFA's Series 2025A bond loan, its Comfort of Home program, and LHC's HomeStart Advantage as first mortgage options. None of the sources state whether FTHAP can sit behind those specific loans, so a participating lender confirms whether they combine. FTHAP's income ceiling is far below HomeStart Advantage's $125,000 cap, which makes this program the narrower of the two.
Steps to apply
The order matters here. First get pre-approved by an approved lender, because the parish wants that before you apply. Next complete both the Financial Fitness and First-Time Homebuyer Training classes; the certificates stay valid for two years. Then schedule the in-person interview with Community Development at 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Suite 605, or call 504-736-6262. The parish notes funding isn't assured until every requirement is met, so keep documents current. Our list of mistakes that delay DPA approvals is worth a read, and you can check your eligibility first.
Summarized from the program's official page as of November 2026. Funding and rules can change, so confirm the current terms with the program or a lender who takes part. Louisiana Down Payment Assistance has no connection to this program.
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