Home in Monroe is the City's first-time buyer program, built with local nonprofits and pairing purchase help with coaching and counseling.
What is Home in Monroe?
Home in Monroe is a first-time homebuyer program from the City of Monroe's Planning and Urban Development office, run with Mt. Pleasant CDC, the Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. It's limited to purchases inside Monroe city limits. Along with purchase help, it builds in financial coaching, HUD-certified housing counseling and rent reporting, so it works as much as a preparation program as a purchase program.
The City's page doesn't publish an assistance amount. Income limits follow the CDBG/HOME chart the City links (the 2025 version), so it is aimed at low-to-moderate income households. We list it as funding-dependent because it relies on federal allocations and partner money. The way in is the City's online interest form, linked from the Community Development page, after which a counselor follows up. A 2024 program brochure exists but couldn't be retrieved for this page, so the amount and any price cap are still open questions to raise with the City. Buyers who want a defined dollar figure today should price out the parish and state layers below at the same time.
Monroe and West Monroe run separate programs: Home in Monroe doesn't cover a house in West Monroe, and West Monroe's own grant round closed in May 2026. Across Ouachita Parish, CAFA First Home offers a bond-rate 30-year mortgage with 4% of the loan as a 0% second, which you'd use in place of an LHC HomeStart first mortgage rather than with it. Teachers in Monroe City Schools or the Ouachita Parish School System and Monroe Police and Fire employees can look at the who-qualifies pages. Limits and the parish picture are on the Ouachita Parish guide.
What does Monroe offer on its own?
Home in Monroe
Money may run out
City of Monroe
Who it's for
First-time homebuyers within Monroe city limits
Income cap
CDBG/HOME limits (2025 chart linked; figures not captured)
Only for first-time buyers?
Yes
Also worth knowing
Includes financial coaching, HUD-certified counseling and rent reporting
The city page gives no amount. Interest form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HomeinMonroeProgramInterestForm . The 2024 brochure PDF could not be fetched this session.
61 Louisiana parishes (all except Orleans, Jefferson and a few others)
Help available
4% of the total note amount for down payment, closing costs, prepaids or Realtor commission, with a 30-year fixed FHA/VA/USDA first mortgage
Kind of help
Forgivable second loan
Who it's for
First-time homebuyers; waived for veterans (DD-214, one-time use) and targeted census tracts
Income cap
Effective 05/01/26, non-targeted: $84,900 (1-2) / $97,635 (3+) in most parishes, up to $107,700 / $123,855 in St. Tammany; targeted areas: $101,880 / $118,860 up to $129,240 / $150,780
Price cap
$544,233 (1 unit, non-targeted); $665,173 (targeted)
Only for first-time buyers?
Yes
Also worth knowing
0% 5-year second: no forgiveness in months 1-36, then 1/24 forgiven each month. Homebuyer education for all buyers on title. Min FICO 620 (640 US Bank).
Guide published 05/13/26, rev. 07/20/26; program page https://thecafa.org/homebuyers/cafa-first-home (shows 7% government rate). This is a separate bond first mortgage: choose CAFA OR LHC HomeStart, not both. Essentially a second regional/statewide option with income and price limits close to LHC HomeStart Assist.
On top of local programs, Monroe buyers can use 1 programs that cover all of Louisiana, HomeStart Advantage (formerly Keys for Service) among them. Browse every Louisiana program or try the program matcher.
Where can you take a homebuyer class near Ouachita Parish?
Nearly every assistance program wants you to finish a homebuyer class before you close. These HUD-approved agencies are within reach of Ouachita Parish and offer classes or one-on-one counseling before you buy:
Counseling agency
Located in
How far
Offers
Meets you
Languages
Mount Pleasant Community Development Corp. Inc
Monroe
3 mi
Class and coaching
in person / by phone
English
Taken from HUD's list of approved counseling agencies. Programs differ on which classes they accept.
Which class will count for you? Ask the loan officer handling your file. They know which courses each Louisiana program accepts, and they can get your pre-approval going in the same conversation. Start the check
Monroe questions we hear
How much does Home in Monroe give?
The City's page doesn't state an amount. Fill out the interest form on the City's Community Development page and a counselor will explain current terms.
Can I use Home in Monroe in West Monroe?
No. Home in Monroe is for homes within Monroe city limits. West Monroe has its own program, whose 2026 round closed May 1.
What else comes with Home in Monroe?
Financial coaching, HUD-certified housing counseling and rent reporting, delivered with Mt. Pleasant CDC, the Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.
Got it. You're on the list.
We'll reach out when it reopens. Curious what you could use right now?
Hey there, I'm Denise. See if you're eligible for down payment assistance in Louisiana. It's a handful of questions and maybe two minutes of your time.
